Kennedy Undocumented Errors - Spitting Kennedy, Blowin'-In-The-Wind, Un-Ear

I agree with everything biokemist said.I just wanted too add those are some fantastic pictures.Photographing coins is not an easy task.

I will also join in on congratulating you on your photography skills Many new members post photos of such low quality that we are often left to guess what the poster is actually seeing.

First, I want to thank you for your replies, they have made me more aware of the types of errors/varieties. Although, I did not receive any comments on the "Ear-Cud" on the final two examples.
I would like to address the comment sent by biokemist6; You stated that the "Spitting-Kennedy" was due to a die scratch and was a common occurrence. But isn't the "Spitting Eagle" also due to a die scratch/gouge? I have several of these "Spitting-Kennedy's", and they are all identical, collected over a period of time by my father who was an avid collector of error coins.
As to the "Un-Ear", you say this is due to "die abrading/polishing". But again, there are several die varieties which exhibit over-abrasion like the No "FG" on both the Kennedy half and the Lincoln Cent, and the 3-legged Buffalo nickel, to name just a few.
So I must ask, when does a repeated occurrence produce a variety?

and Great images - I still like finding the unusual die chips and scratches even though they are not errors - some are pretty funny.

Biochemist



I am definitely one of those members that these great people put up with on my images. I will say though I really do try to get good images.

When they are a characteristic of the die when it is first put into service. Differences thaat appear over time during the use and or maintenance of the die are not true varieties they are die states or die stages (Those last two terms are often used interchangeably, and incorrectly. They do not mean the same thing.) The no FG and 3 legged buffalo are NOT varieties, but are often incorrectly called such. They are more properly called late die stages and in the case of the 37 D three legged it is also a late die state. I don't know if the no FG coins are late die states or not.

Die state refers to the wear a die has received and is a continuous gradual change over the life of the die.

Die stages are discrete steps or changes that occur during the life of the die. It is a case of one coin is one die stage and the next coin struck is from a different stage. Stages are defined by something definite that you can point to a say "here is what changed". Examples would be a die cracks, they clash, a chip occurs, clashmarks are polished off, die features or design are polished off, a Retained Cud, the Retained Cud becomes a full Cud etc.

I refer to the terms that some thing are interesting as an event that happened to the die. This maybe permanent or just temporary. Die scratches, clashes happen to a die but later are either removed or flattened with continued use. Other evens such as die cracks, chips, breaks Retained Cuds, Cuds and die damage is permanent. So when events happen, some can be collectable, but I my book they are never varieties. As BIO mentioned, a variety is created on the die, before it is used. A die event to me is not a variety. Just an event that happened to the die.