Die Varieties, Varieties, And Errors - They Are Different...

In all of my experience in this industry I have found the following subject to be one of the most important yet least spread bits of education. Just what is a variety, die variety, and error, and how do they differ from one another?

1. Variety - A design change as intended by the mint that collectors notice and collect. Examples include small dates, mintmark types, open letters, closed letters, and other minor design changes. Type changes, such as the three different designs used to mint $1 gold coins, are considered "types" and are not included in "varieties." And, in actuality, the two different mintmark sizes for 1981S proof coins are actually "varieties" and not "types."

2. Die varieties - These include any instance of unintended doubling of an otherwise normal design on a die. The doubling exists on the die before the die is hung on the press to mint coins. Examples include all date varieties (repunched and over dates), hub doubling (doubled dies), and mintmark varieties (repunched and over mintmarks).

3. Errors - Categorized into three sub groups - Planchet errors, Die errors, and Striking errors (PDS, like the three mints that make our coins). The main difference between errors and die varieties is that errors are either a strictly coin to coin thing or they develop on a die after the die is hung on the press - such as die breaks, clashes, etc. Errors include wrong planchet errors, struck through errors, blanks, off-centers, double struck, brockages, broadstrikes, and on and on.

So there you have it. And yes, it is possible to have a variety, die variety, and error on the same coin...I have at least one example of such a coin with a 1946S cent with a sans serif mintmark (the variety) that's a repunched mintmark (the die variety) with a 10% curved clip (the error).