1957 Nickel Over Polished Die On Log Above Beavers Tail

Thanks okiecoiner I'm glad you can see my passion for the hobby and are willing to help me out so much.

To paraphrase Okie; anything on a coin that wasn't supposed to be there is an error. Clip, delaminations, die crack, die clashes, die chips, etc.
A 1936 dot quarter is a true variety because the dot was put in the die by the mint. Same coin with a bar die crack is a variety with an error. Without the dot it's a no-dot variety error coin.

The 1947 nickel is a variety (no ML variety) since there is also the Maple Leaf variety, but you don't see the no ML called a variety. A 1947 maple leaf nickel is also a true variety because it was intentional. 1947 dot nickel, caused by a die chip, is a (no ML variety) error .

A 1956 dot 10 cents is an error because it is a die chip, not something meant to be there. Since there was only one kind of 1956 ten cents issued, there's no variety possible. The dot repeats on a number of coins and collectors became interested in it. As it's value rises with demand, it gets listed along with the normal coin to show the higher value, gets called a variety, instead of an error or error variety. The well-known error varieties just get tossed in with the "variety" tag.

Mules are production errors or fraud.

Thanks Terry, for shortening my definitions of the difference between a variety and an error. The 2 of us have been doing that for the last 20+ years on CCRS and other various sites. You are short and to the point. I'm wordy and usually get Zoell's and Griffin's names in there since it used to be mainly about Vicky cents. I hope you are staying out of trouble and good to see you back on some of the forums more actively.