A New Find (1978 LMC)

something everyone learns with time is that a certain amount of discretion is necessary when calling a coin an error. Most coins are not errors - in fact far fewer coins posted here are actual errors than not. Minor amounts of Machine Doubling, die cracks, polishing lines, gouges, and a host of other things that are a normal part of minting hundreds of thousands of coins per day are expected and are considered a normal part of minting coins. They are examples of what would go out into circulation through the mint even if they were aware these minor problems existed...because they are "normal".

Errors are coins that occur during the minting process that would be pulled and scrapped if the mint was aware they were making them. Little minor imperfections in the design due to the mechanical process of minting coins are just that - minor imperfections.

Hi coindexter,

I lightened your picture so that I could view it better. Your coin exhibits the effects of having been struck by a die that was a little loose. The die hops or twists a little bit and that scrapes the metal ever so slightly around the details making them look doubled.

We call that Machine Doubling damage.

We try to discriminate between coins that are truly errors and those that are not. As you get further into the hobby with respect to errors, varieties and die varieties, you will see that folks like coppercoins and myself (and several others here and on other forums) will usually try to teach a bit about what errors are or what they are not. It's how people learn what to look for and what the correct terminology should be.

We sometimes advise people to keep or not keep certain coins as some coins aren't worth more than face value. That is the category that coins with Machine Doubling damage fall into.

We try to teach and we try to give people a realistic expectation as to how collectible a coin might be. Ultimately what people save is up to them.

If someone learns and knows what Machine Doubling is and they decide to keep the coin, there is nothing wrong with that. It is important though that they don't think it is a doubled die. There are thousands of coins on ebay , for example that are advertised as doubled dies that are nothing more than coins with Machine Doubling damage.

I know that rather than have a bunch of machine doubled coins sitting around, it might be a better use to cash them in and look for really good stuff.

There was a thread on these forums not too long ago about a person that began to understand what to keep and what not to keep and ended up with a nice chunk of change that they cashed in and used for something else.

Anyway, It's all about education and realistic expectations.

Thanks,
Bill

I also figure if they can sell them on e-bay for more then what they are worth and any being 82 and under made of copper I have already came ahead of what I have paid for it. Thats why I will keep them. Shoot e-bay sells circulated pennies that I find in my change everyday (no errors or mint damage) for a dollar each and then they add a dollar or two for shipping and lets not forget handling $$$$$$ I will be the one 10 years from now selling mine for 5 dollars each. He he. They are all rare I guess when you look at it like this. They don't make any more 2007 and under pennies anymore and most of the ones out there that I have seen roll searching are corroding away from there nice zinc compound or have some kind of post damage. How many of us are looking for some pennies to finish our collections? I'm one. I see people also selling there Lincoln sets for lots of money and no 1909-s vdb or 1914-d in them.