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 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
*
Coining (mint)
*
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
A double is a look-alike or doppelgänger; one person or being that resembles another.
Double, The Double or Dubble may also refer to:
Film and television
* Double (filmmaking), someone who substitutes for the credited actor of a character
* ' ...
*
Wavy step
*
US error coins
US error coins are Mint-made errors, error coins produced by the Federal government of the United States, US government. There are three categories of error coins as provided by the American Numismatic Association. Metal usage and striking errors ...
*
Mint-made errors
References
External links
Coinsite error coin prices
{{DEFAULTSORT:Die Defect (Coin)
Currency production
Mint-made errors