Mint Error Público Deposited
MintError. A malformed piece produced at a mint. Mint error coins are those that are not perfect but which have been issued along with perfect, production run pieces. Any struck item which is an anomaly – and the number of things that can go wrong in coin and medal production is great – can be classed as a mint error. The term was formerly called freaks or fidos (for Freaks, Irregulars, Defects and Oddities); currently numismatic writers prefer mint error, error coins or even numismatic errors.
The many seps of planchedt manufacture, striking and coining, all contribute to the existence of malformed blundered, accidental, mistaken struck pieces. The list of 79 different blanking and strikinganomaly terms are included in this encyclopedia. However, other anomalies exist other than strikingerrors. These include one design error, four modeling and editingerrors, sixteen die anomalies and errors, six metal anomalies, eight casting anomalies, four metalworking and heat treating anomalies, and seven finishing anomalies. See Chart.
Mint error collecting. This area of numismatics was a creation of the later half of the 20th century. Misstruck pieces in previous generations of numismatists were not considered highly collectible. They were tolerated but not venerated as they are today. Perhaps these malformed items became of numismatic interest with the increased interest in varieties. In effect, perhaps, a mint error was also considered a variety (more accurately, a subvariety).
After 1950 with the widespread interest in coin collecting, studying coins became more and more directed to smaller and smaller areas of a coin. Minute variations became collectible. Diebreaks, for example, were studied with intense interest. Articles and pamphlets were published, collectors of these banned together and formed clubs, some very specialized (like the filled die of the word Liberty only on U.S. Lincoln cents). These aficionados even created their own terminology; cud, railroad rim, saddle strike and many of the terms found in the adjacent chart were born.
A major benefit of this activity was the interest these collectors took in mint technology to explain how many of these error coins were made. The terms of interest to these collectors which found acceptance in the numismatic field are found in this book.
References:
NM all 21 references listed in this bibliography class.
Word List #23
Mint Error Terms Design Error chattering
design error chip
Modeling, Editing Errors chipped die
blundered Inscription, legend Clamshell
distortion clished dies
errros clash mark
misspelling clipped planchet
Die Anomalies, Errors Clogged Die
blundered dies clogged letter
boss collar break
broken tracer collar clash
corroded dies collar crach
die flaw counterbrockage
dieshift cracked die
Double Die cracked planchet
double entry cud
double image cupping
double mintmark Curved Clip Planchet
doubling defective planchet
multiple mintmark diebreak
overdate, overdating die bulge
Overpunching diechip
polished dies die clash
shifting diecrack
stempelfehler domed effect
strain aging double clipped
Under Figure double denomination
Metal Anomalies Double Line
alloy imperfection Double Struck
bullion blunder double struck image
dumb blank dropped letter
inhomogeneity Elliptical Clipped Planchet
lamination error filled letter
Laminated Planchet Finned Coin
soft metaldistortionflanged edge
Unplated flip-over double strike
Wrong Metal foldover strike
Blanking, Striking Errors foreign planchet
broad flan fracture
broadstruck hairline
brockage Hanging Up
broken collar Horizontal Misalignment
broken die Hub Trial
broken nose impressed error
capping Impressed Shard Mark
Centering Incomplete Clip
Chain Strike incomplete punch
indented (1) straight edge clip
indents Stretch Strike
lettered edde blunder struck fragment
lint mark struck-thru
mechanical doubling thin
misaligned die tipped die
missing letters Type One Planchet
multiple clipped Uncentered
multiple strike (2) Vertical Misalignment
multiple struck (2) Weak Strike
off center wrong planchet
Off Center Strike Casting Anomalies
off metal blister
Off Metal Strike deformation
Partial Brockage embrittlement
partial collar strike faulty casting
pinhole hot shortness
planchet defect hot tear
Polished Die occluded gas
Ragged Edge Clip surfacedeformation
railroad rim undercooling
Reject Medalworking and Heat
retained chip, diechip Treating Anomalies
Rim Burr annealingdistortion
rim break buckled
rim diebreak overchased
rippled surface quenching crack
rolling fold rimming & piercingerrors
rotated die Fnishing Anomalies
Rotated Reverse blotch
rusted dies fishtail
saddle strike fugative patina
shattered die mottled
Spinning water stain
split planchet wipe marks
excerpted with permission from
An Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology
For Artists, Makers, Collectors and Curators
COMPILED AND WRITTEN BY D. WAYNE JOHNSON