Why Are Some Errors More Valuable?

As a general rule the more obvious the error is,
the more valuable it happens to be in the opinions of most collectors.

Examples of highly desirable error coins:-
-off metal strikes (e.g. silver coin normally struck in bronze, or a copper coin normally struck in gold)
-mules
-major planchet clips, with a very obvious lower weight
-brokages
- very major off center strikes

None of these to be confused with trial strike coins, and pattern coins, that were never intended to be put into circulation.

Nevertheless, minor error coins, (such as Machine Doubling, minor planchet laminations, Struck Through Grease or debris), can form a very major area of investigation for the keen CRH'er.

A pictorial search on Google Images for each of the above subjects can be very educative.
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Also educative would be a pictorial search for the various types of coin damage - some deliberate in an attempt to defraud. Sadly, these coins have no extra value above face, but at least you may get some idea of what some fraudulent attempts to simulate what a contrived 'error' coin may look like.

So would my 1974 haunted rainbow penny be something a collector would like? It's rainbow and the back looks like a ghost lol well it just reminds me of a ghostly thing, and the little patch of flowers? Not sure what they are suppose to be, but they kinda look like skulls... so I named the *Haunted Rainbow Penny*

T-BOP hit the nail right on the head: Supply and demand. The more people that want what you have, the more you can get for it.

Char510: Your "1974 haunted rainbow penny" means something only to you, so to you it's priceless. To me, it's just post mint damage and worth only face value, sorry.

it's the rarity and desirability. A coin (or pair) that has no chance of ever being duplicated (or even struck in the first place, honestly) is going to demand the highest price. All it takes from there is more than one person that wants it and has enough money. It's true of any coin, error or normal strike.

I'm amazed sometimes that a tiny bit of metal can demand a fortune, in some cases, but I know that I would pay the same if I only could!

This is one of my favorite mated pair errors. It shouldn't exist, but it does, and LOTS of error collectors seem to want it. Yes, it's an intentional error, but who's to say that other errors, like one or more of the coins in my collection, weren't done by a bored mint tech?





You can read more about this mated pair here https://coinweek.com/coins/error-co...bverse-dies/ and on several other websites, as it is considered to be one of the World's Greatest Mint Errors.

Well I'm going to submit it for a grade. I just wanted to know which errors mean more and I believe from the comments it's all in the way u sell your errors.. haunted rainbow penny sounds alot more diserable then 1974 D with a swirly machine error on the reverse. Ty all!