A die defect is a unique and unintentional flaw in a
coin die
Minting, coining or coinage is the process of manufacturing coins using a kind of stamping, the process used in both hammered coinage and milled coinage. This "stamping" process is different from the method used in cast coinage.
A coin die is ...
and is created through excessive use or polishing of the die. A die bearing such a defect is occasionally referred to as a defective die. Generally, and depending upon the magnitude of the defect,
coin
A coin is a small, flat (usually depending on the country or value), round piece of metal or plastic used primarily as a medium of exchange or legal tender. They are standardized in weight, and produced in large quantities at a mint in order t ...
s that are produced from these dies are considered
error coins. Also, the term encompasses a wide variety of design errors that were engraved into the die originally and were slipped into
circulation before the incorrect design was discovered.
Types
Die crack
A die crack occurs when a die, after being subjected to immense
pressure
Pressure (symbol: ''p'' or ''P'') is the force applied perpendicular to the surface of an object per unit area over which that force is distributed. Gauge pressure (also spelled ''gage'' pressure)The preferred spelling varies by country and e ...
during the
minting
Minting is a village and civil parish in the East Lindsey district of Lincolnshire, England. The village is situated south from the A158 road. The population (including Gautby) at the 2011 census was 286.
Minting Priory was located here.
Mi ...
process, cracks, causing a small gap in the die. If this damaged die continues to produce coins, the
metal
A metal (from Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electricity and heat relatively well. Metals are typicall ...
will fill into the crack, thus revealing a raised line of metal in the finished coin. Specimens with more prominent die cracks can command a high premium and are valued greatly by some
collectors
Collector(s) may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* Collector (character), a fictional character in the Marvel Comics universe
* ''Collector'' (2011 film), a 2011 Indian Malayalam film
* ''Collector'' (2016 film), a 2016 Russian film
* ''Collec ...
. However, less obvious errors are quite common, especially in the
50 States Commemorative Quarter Program, yielding a lower value.
Cud
A cud on a coin is a damaged area resembling a blob at the edge of the coin. Cuds result from a piece of the perimeter of the die breaking away. They can be any shape depending on the shape of the piece that broke off the die.
See also
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Coining (mint)
Minting, coining or coinage is the process of manufacturing coins using a kind of stamping, the process used in both hammered coinage and milled coinage. This "stamping" process is different from the method used in cast coinage.
A coin die is ...
*
Die-deterioration doubling
{{numismatics
Die deterioration doubling (DDD) is a common form of mint-made error on many United States and Canadian coins that results from degradation of the die used to strike the coin.
Due to a combination of improper preparation and treatm ...
*
Doubled die
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Wavy step
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US error coins
*
Mint-made errors
Mint-made errors are errors during the mint (coin), minting process. Groups of coins with distinctive characteristics are known as varieties. The term variety applies to coins with both intended and unintended differences while the term error re ...
References
External links
Coinsite error coin prices
{{DEFAULTSORT:Die Defect (Coin)
Currency production
Mint-made errors