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 Replies: 12 / Views: 785 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
978 Posts |
I have seen the term "common error" used by many of the most experienced and expert posters on this e-community. I value their experience and opinion. I am also familiar with the PCGS Numerical Rarity Scale:
10.1: No Known Examples
10.0: Unique
9.0-9.9: Ultra-Rare
8.0-8.9: Extremely Rare
7.0-7.9: Very Rare
5.0-6.9: Rare
3.0-4.9: Very Scarce
2.0-2.9: Scarce
1.1-1.9: Common
1.0: Very Common
However, to me these designations remain anecdotal and after 10.1 and 10.0 ratings they are open for interpretation. The scale does not identify a probability or a statistical population. "Common error" is such a relative term and one I've seen used on the CC board often. I find it difficult to give the "common error coin" label any credence.
Help me understand this better.
Thanks. NYI "We are all flawed, some MD and some PMD." NYI |
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Moderator
 Australia
16806 Posts |
People would be using the word "common" in it's more vague, generalized sense, rather than the more precise definition. In this more vague sense, the word is generally linked to perceived market value (which is a combination of both supply and demand), rather than any objective measurement of rarity.
Thus, a "common error" would be a coin that is, indeed, technically an error, but which ought to attract little or no collector premium because of that error, either because they are objectively very common (high supply) or because nobody actually wants one (low demand).
Small, obscure die chips and grease-filled dies are often described as "common errors".
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1259 Posts |
Darn good question NY Islander..  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2731 Posts |
Your question has been on my mind since I started collecting errors/varieties and I think Sap has a good explanation.
I had hoped error-ref.com would include some ball park figures of how many certain errors occur per say 1,000,000 strikes. I realize that would be conjecture though.
Edited by CoinHI
11/19/2025 11:52 am
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Moderator
United States
94786 Posts |
very good question here, I have not really paid much attention to the POCGS list due to its vague reference.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3170 Posts |
Clips and off-center coins seem to be the most commonly found errors.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5238 Posts |
I think that die cracks may be the most common, assuming that this is considered an error.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6458 Posts |
I would hazard a guess that minor collar clashes and minor misaligned dies are very common errors.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10484 Posts |
Quote:
I think that die cracks may be the most common, assuming that this is considered an error. Die cracks would be a type of variety coin as many can come off of a single die. Earlier coin varieties are specifically know because of the die cracks they exhibit. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2731 Posts |
Die cracks are common but then there are uncommon die cracks like RRDC's.
Die clashes are common but there are strong die clashes that aren't common.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6507 Posts |
Most "errors" should be called "die events"
An error coin is a coin that should not exist. IMHO
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
978 Posts |
I wasn't thinking in terms of value or desirability assigned by collectors. Great feedback. Thanks.
"We are all flawed, some MD and some PMD." NYI |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1791 Posts |
Here is something interesting. I saw 2 off center cents, each offered by different sellers. Both coins were dateless and about 80-85% off center and both were in uncirculated condition. One seller sold the coin for about $40. Meanwhile there were no bids on the other sellers coin. The difference between the two is that the 2nd seller turned off many collectors and so they don't really pay attention to their auctions.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 785 |
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Posted 11/18/2025 7:11 pm
