What does OMS mean?

1984worldcoins · August 31, 2025 7:34AM

So, what is the meaning of OMS on this coin? And why regular strike, since this is clearly NOT a regular strike? If it is not an error (since there is no mention of it), is it a pattern or trial, by using another metal? The normal strike is using brass. Maybe I could get an official response? Thank you.

johnhenry9009 · August 31, 2025 7:44AM

Off Metal Strike?

1984worldcoins · August 31, 2025 7:48AM

Near OMS , on the image from the PCGS pages, it says regular strike, so I do not understand. Also, there is no explanation on the PCGS pages for OMS abreviation. And why is put up there and not lower, like it is the case for some other coins?

johnhenry9009 · August 31, 2025 7:59AM

The (regular strike) could be that PCGS didn't find it to be a trail/pattern piece but why it says OMS and not mint error I have no clue.

JBK · August 31, 2025 9:15AM

The "Struck on CuNi Planchet" text on the label would seem to be a major clue.

I assume they wouldn't add that if it represented the normal composition.

1984worldcoins · August 31, 2025 10:00AM

Here are 2 examples I found online, why is mine worded in another way?

MetroD · August 31, 2025 11:04AM

@1984worldcoins said:
Here are 2 examples I found online, why is mine worded in another way?

And, here are two examples similar to yours.

Source: https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-VAZ2J/mexico-mint-error-off-metal-strike-struck-on-silver-planchet-20-pesos-2019-mo-mexico-city-mint-pcgs-ms-63

Source: https://auctions.stacksbowers.com/lots/view/3-RP0UO/mexico-mint-error-off-metal-strike-on-aluminum-bronze-planchet-2-pesos-2019-mo-mexico-city-mint-pcgs-ms-65-gold-shield

Serious question, NOT snark - Is it possible that the PCGS 'approach/label format' has changed over time?

As an aside, in the OP you requested an official response from PCGS. If that is still the case, I suggest 'flagging' a PCGS staffer (e.g., PCGS_Hy).

Coins3675 · August 31, 2025 5:09PM

I am guessing off-metal strike?

Aegis3 · August 31, 2025 7:48PM

"Regular Strike" I presume mean it's a "business" strike, not proof or "specimen" or other special striking or finish. And it's not a mint error, because they were intentionally struck in a different medal.

I prefer calling them abschlags, probably a bad German pluralization.

1984worldcoins · September 8, 2025 2:56AM

I did more research and this is what I have found:
There was a 1980 pattern/test (prueba) for the Mexican 20 centavos “Cabeza Olmeca” struck in copper-nickel. It’s cataloged as KM-Pn218 and commonly cited with a listed mintage of 8 pieces.

Year: 1980 (pattern, not a circulation issue)

Composition: copper-nickel, 3.0 g, 20 mm

Attribution sources: Numista (with Luna Herrera’s Las Pruebas de la Moneda Mexicana del Siglo XX cited) and a Heritage Auctions listing noting the “mintage of 8” for the Cu-Ni piece.

This coin has been sold in 2009 as a pattern and it has a CuNi planchet.
Maybe the same planchet type has been used to strike my OMS coin from 1984. Was this made intentionaly or by mistake?
Nobody seems to know.
Also, it is imperative for me to get Luna's book!

1984worldcoins · September 9, 2025 5:33AM

JBK, any better idea?

JBK · September 9, 2025 8:45AM

I still think OMS probably stands for off-metal strike.

As for whether or not it was intentional, I'm not sure there is any way to know. I recall that some foreign mints are/were known for producing intentional "errors", but I don't know if Mexico was one of them.

Your question seems to have transitioned from the meaning of OMS to questions about the coin itself, so you might get more responses on that subject if you post on the World Coins Forum.

1984worldcoins · September 9, 2025 12:46PM

Thank you everybody!

YQQ · September 10, 2025 8:16AM

maybe:
Original Manufacturers Strike?
( assuming there are perhaps others made somewhere else like PRoC??)

MetroD · September 10, 2025 9:11AM

@PCGS_Hy

Please see the PCGS holder in the original post of this thread. Note the "OMS" acronym on the label, top center.

In this particular case, what does "OMS" mean?

Additionally, it appears that PCGS is using "OMS" on their labels. As such, you might want to consider adding this acronym to your 'lingo' page. Link: https://www.pcgs.com/lingo/o

PCGS_Hy · September 11, 2025 2:52PM

Hello! It looked like you guys had this handled, but It looks like OMS in this scenario would be off-metal strike.

Best,

PCGS_Hy

MetroD · September 12, 2025 9:21AM

@PCGS_Hy said:
Hello! It looked like you guys had this handled, but It looks like OMS in this scenario would be off-metal strike.

Best,

PCGS_Hy

Hy,

Thanks for confirming. I appreciate your post.

pruebas · September 13, 2025 4:48AM

This coin is colloquially called a pattern (which encompasses many types of coins in the Krause catalogs), but is not listed in Krause. I understand PCGS no longer calls a coin made with circulation dies but off-metal a pattern unless listed as such in a catalog.

Since this coin was issued in brass using these exact same dies, per their new policy(?) they called it an off-metal strike.

In this case, the OMS was intentional, so PCGS got it right. This isn’t a mint error and probably was, in fact, a pattern.

Also, please ignore mintage figures for patterns in Krause (at least for Mexico).

1984worldcoins · September 13, 2025 7:16AM

Thank you Hy and pruebas for the clarifications and everybody for the help.

What does OMS mean?

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