Rotated die coins
Gabriel_T
Posts: 2 ✭
Good day all,
I am a casual coin collector, and have been collecting coins for around a decade now. Recently I have been sorting through my collection, organizing, and looking for anything that looks interesting. As I'm sure many coin collectors also do (you never know when you might find something!)
I have found two coins that, despite extensive research through all my usual sources, I cannot find a mention or similar auction entry anywhere. They both feature the same error, a near-perfect 180° rotated die error. So I have come here to ask the experts what ya'll can make of these coins, if they are actually anything to get excited over, and what their potential value could be.
The first is a
1902 1c brown Indian Head with a rota-die
I picked this coin up in a little antique store in a qaint town in Southern Canada. A complete impulse-buy if I'm being honest.
It is in a homemade, airtight coin case. It is definitely circulated. With the finer details of the head on one side and the laurels on the other having been lost. There is also some minor residue. I would guess a grade of Good, or Fine.
The rotated die is presented beautifully here. With either the text 'one cent' or the head always being upside down. I know American collectors love the Indian heads. But I also know 1902 is a very common year. So I would be interested to know how much the rota-die increases the rarity.
The second is a
1991 2½ ECU Arnhem commemorative coin with a rota-die
I have genuinely no clue how I got this coin. I just found it in my collection one day. But only recently realized how unique it is.
Arnhem is a city in the Netherlands, and this coin I believe celebrates the city in general. It is in its official casing and looks like it has never been removed. It is uncirculated, and at least MS60-65. The coin also comes with a document of authenticity and guarentee, which is signed by the director of the time, H. Kegel. The document also contains information like how the coin is numbered.
The rotated die is, I believe perfectly 180°. But quite subtle. As the design on the coin is almost abstract. On closer inspection though, I noticed the buildings were upside down! This is a relatively niche coin, only sought after by specialists and professionals. Apparently this makes them a hard sell, for whatever it may be worth. I also wonder how the rotated die might add to it's overall mystique in my collection. It would also be nice to know how it affects the price/ability to sell.
Thank you very much for your time. I hope my questions can finally be answered! If you require photos, I can supply them. But as the coins are both in cases, it is difficult to capture fine detail.
Best Answer
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IkesT
Posts: 3,766 ✭✭✭✭✭
The first thing you need to do is learn about coin alignment vs. medal alignment. Look up the definitions and keep reading them until you understand them. Normal U.S. coins have coin alignment. Alignment of other coins varies by country; some have coin alignment, others have medal alignment. Only when you understand these terms will you know if you have a rotated die error. Do not make up your own numismatic terms. When you post on a coin forum using words you've invented, you lose all of your credibility. Good luck.
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Answers
Great! Thank you for your response. I doubt I would have worked this out alone. This applies to both coins it turns out.
I dunno. I kind of like Rota-die. It's has a very mid-century modern feel, with a hint of kitschy science fiction. Probably because the OP text is AI generated.