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 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,899 |
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Member
United States
1154 Posts |
Hi everyone!
I am really interested into coin collecting. I have a question. How do all of you find error coins? Pocket change? I know pretty much what to look for but also can someone explain in better detail what a die crack is? How do you tell a die crack between a a scratch or crack made from excessive handling?
Thanks alot!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
Hi laxmaster I still search rolls, pocket change, dealer inventories , and ebay ,, for error coins. Die cracks will be raised above the surface of the coin in the same way that the lettering is raised,, die cracks come in all shapes and sizes. here are a couple of examples 1922-D reverse Die crack  Roosevelt dime obverse Die crack Dennis the menace !!  1921-S Morgan dollar Reverse die cracks  always glad to help !! Rick Edited by Metalman
04/16/2006 5:37 pm
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Pillar Of The Community
3147 Posts |
Die cracks or breaks will create a RAISED line on the surface of the coin. A major break or a piece of die missing will create huge clump of extra metal raised up on the surface. They will not appear as the same as scratches so you would be wise to use a magnifying glass on minor die breaks to tell the difference.
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Valued Member
Netherlands
309 Posts |
Hello Lax,
most error coins I got from the bulk, I collect world coins by type and year, when I buy coins, I buy them most of the time by the kilo, so a looooooot of coins to check, and from time to time I'm lucky, and find an unusual one :-)
Greetings, Carl
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Member
 United States
1154 Posts |
Thanks alot for all the replies! Now that I know what to look for die cracks ill have alot of coins to check! Metalman, thanks for the pictures. Just one question, The die cracks on the first one go from the l to the 0 right? And on the dime. Its at the back of its head? I know I'm asking alot of questions but just one more. How much more value do die cracks add to coins?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
Hi laxmaster
You are correct about the location of both !!
Die cracks very often add no value to a coin,, To anyone but a collector of such things,I aquired all of the coins I just showed you for the value of the coin or slightly below.
Are they worth more ? probly not to the normal collector, but maybe slightly to collectors like myself .
I collect these for the pleasure not the value !!
Thats what this hobby is all about !!
Rick
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5362 Posts |
Cracks in the dies were more common before modern coining techniques evolved. So some common old coins actually lose some value if there are too many distracting die breaks. Most cracks add a few cents to a $1 for collectors who are interested. Major die breaks - fractures of the die - where the split runs side to side usually add some value on the order of $10 extra. Broken collars - the forgotten third die that applies the edge - will add as much as a typical major die break. The best thing to do is get a reference book. One of the simplest for people collecting US coins is Harper's "North American Coins and Prices". They are published yearly by Krause and cost less than $20. Remember one priceless piece of advice - "Buy the book BEFORE the coin." |
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Valued Member
United States
103 Posts |
Hi Laxmaster, Very often minor errors such as die breaks on circulated coins can be found in circulation.......and occasionaly I find an 10%offcenter or a blank in rolls of coins.....most recently I found a type two quarter blank in a roll of WV quarters.......I put it on ebay I beleive and it sold for around $16.00........if you are looking for more spectacular errors.....then get ready to shell out some pretty hefty premiums over face value......and most will be found in a dealers inventory that specializes in them.....run a search for error coin dealers and you will find what you seek......there really isn't a good guideline as to how much each type of error will cost as most are unique and as such each one can have a different grade or degree of error that could increase or decrease the price......my favorite error so far is a 1940's Mercury dime that is struck offcentered and is graded MS64 with fully split bands, I also have an Indian Head cent with a planchet error.......a piece was missing from it before the strike......it also has been graded AU55 or AU58....by anacs The world of error coins is fascinating.....and sometimes the best part is trying to find out exactly how some of these occur....... |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I always buy my coins on online wuctions just because we dont have any coin shops near my house and the pawn shops around here are just stupid to talk to and I dont really want to do business with them all the time. With that being said I have gotten alot of errors on ebay from people that just dont know anything about errors and have also gotten some from people that thats all they specialize in. If you know what you are looking for you can find some on ebay even by the pictures that someone else just dont know what it is. I was one of them that didnt know the differences before I joined this forum and then I started getting interested in error morgans pretty hot and heavy ever since. But thats where I usually get my errors from and you may want to check the coin of your choice out on there also and see what you can find, but be prepared I am not the only one error hunting and sometimes you may have to pay a slight premium to outbid me or metalmam or maybe even a superdave or two  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4589 Posts |
I mostly just eyeball every thing that goes through my fingers both coins I buy and change that comes from commerce
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Replies: 9 / Views: 1,899 |
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Posted 04/16/2006 4:05 pm
