This article by David Lange was posted on the NGC Home Page, and I thought it would be worthwhile to post it here for some of the newcomers to the hobby. Chris USA Coin Album: It’s an Error to Call a Variety an Error Posted by David W. Lange, NGC Research Director on 5/10/2011 In this month's column, David addresses confusion about what constitutes an error versus a variety. One of my roles at Numismatic Guaranty Corporation is to attribute varieties of United States coins. Something I’ve observed repeatedly is that many submitters don’t seem to distinguish between die varieties and mint errors. Since my colleague at NGC, David Camire, attributes the latter, we are frequently swapping boxes of coins that were directed to the wrong party. I can’t tell for certain whether the submitters intentionally mix the two categories or simply can’t comprehend the difference. Just in case there remains some confusion about what constitutes an error versus a variety, I will address that very subject in this month’s column. ......... http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle.aspx?IDArticle=2103&USA-Coin-Album edited - copyright
A well-written post from a forum: COPPERCOIN CC FORUM 21MAR2011 CHUCK DAUGHTREY Okay...here goes, but I KNOW I have posted this in and around here a number of times. It's actually VERY simple, and everyone has it wrong to some extent or another. type - A major change in design. I don't think I need say more, except that ANY use of the term "type" other than to describe the "Franklin half dollar type versus the Kennedy half dollar type" or a "major U.S. Type set" are wrong. The term "type" does NOT apply to mintmark styles, doubled die classes, etc. variety - A change that was meant to take place but was not necessarily meant to be noticed. Mintmark styles, date sizes, minor detail changes (re-engraving, etc.), changes in font (1976 dollars), large letters vs. small letters...these are ALL "varieties". The 1979-S proof coins have two "varieties" - 1 and 2. They are NOT "types". die variety - An anomaly on a die that is repeated throughout the die's life - from the first coin struck to the last coin struck. Included are doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, over mintmarks, repunched dates, and over dates. ALL of these were on the die when it entered service, and were on the die when it was retired. error - Subdivided into three classes - Planchet, Die, and Strike. Planchet errors are errors that occurred with the planchets before they entered the coining process. Laminations, although very common, fall under this group. Die errors are problems that occur with the die while it is striking coins. Cuds fall into this group, as do major clashes, overpolishing, etc. They are generally repeated ONLY after they occur. Coins struck BEFORE the die error are normal. Striking errors comprise the vast majority of errors, and happen as the result of the strike. The planchet and die could have been completely normal, but because of a problem at the moment the coin was struck you end up with an error. Double struck, saddle struck, broadstruck, etc. So...examples... 1. A CUD is a die error. It's a break in the die that occurred after the die was hung on the press for use. 2. An unplated planchet is a planchet eror. It was not plated when it entered the process. 3. A doubled die is a die variety. The die had doubling when it was created and ALL coins struck by it show the same doubling. 4. An 1858 large letters F.E. cent is a variety. There is a small letters variety as well. 5. A close AM 1992 cent is actually an error. It's a mule. An unintended design coupled with another design. 6. A 1937D three-legged buffalo nickel is a die error. Overpolishing occurred on the die after it started striking coins. 7. The 1942/1 Mercury dimes are actually doubled dies. In order to have an over date, the date would have to have been punched into the die separately from the hubbing process. This is not the case. In fact, ALL 20th century coins with two different dates (unintended) are doubled dies - class 3, design hub doubling, to be exact. 8. A quarter struck on a dime planchet is a striking error. The planchet was normal - just the wrong one. 9. A quarter struck on stock intended for a dime (thinner) is a planchet error. The planchet was flawed before it was struck. If you really follow the rules above, everything can be properly explained and most of the guessing can simply end. If everyone would use the terms above as defined, we could enter an age where everyone understands them, everyone can teach them, and those who learn can enjoy collecting coins UNDERSTANDING the process that made them. Moreover, they can completely and properly understand WHY separate terms are used to describe them. Another important area to cover is when the die varities, varieties, and errors DO get mixed up on the same coin, we often see the case of a white elephant that is difficult to sell, because very few collectors want (or care about) all the parts involved. I will explain: A 1946S 'serif-S' variety Lincoln wheat cent (type) has a die variety - a doubled die obverse. It is also a striking error, it was struck 20% off-center. This is a case of a coin that is a variety, die variety, AND an error all in one. Normally the die variety is hypothetically worth $15. The variety (mintmak style) is common, so it doesn't figure into all of this - it was merely an example to show that all three can be on one coin. Normally a 1946S Lincoln cent that is struck 20% off center would sell for $10 (hypothetical again). So here we have a $20 die variety on a $10 error. Who would buy it for $30? Well, not the error collector, because they could care less about the die variety. To them it's a $10 error. The die variety collectors don't want it because some of the detail that's missing is the detail that shows the doubling. To them the coin is basically worthless. They are into the doubling, not missing details. So wat turns out to be a very scarce instance of a die variety/error coin turns into a coin that won't sell because of it's predicament. You see, there REALLY IS a difference, and there REALLY ARE people who collect one or the other but not both. When you start mixing them together and charging a premium for each different thing that would make a premium, you lose 99% of your buyers. I have said it before a number of times, I am a die variety collector and couldn't care less about errors. I wouldn't pay much of a premium for an off-center cent, but I would pay really good money for some doubled dies. There are other people who would pay a premium for an obvious error, but wouldn't give you a dime extra for a doubled die if you couldn't see it at arm's length. These things have different names because their collectors are classified differently and have different interests that have to do with different parts of the minting process. A die dent, while very minor and acceptable and not really any sort of error, variety, or die variety, would most easily be calssified as a die error since it is something that happens to the die after it is hung for use. A die variety is known to exist on the die during the creation of the die, thus has to be on the die when it is first hung on the press to make coins. Die errors include clash marks, overpolishing that removes devices, cuds, and other irreversible things that "occur" to the die...which is THE difference between die errors and die varieties. Die errors happen to otherwise normal dies. Die varieties are not normal when they are made. Don't paint it with too broad a brush - just because it is narrowed down to a die does NOT make it a die variety.
That is all good info but I am sure the confusion will continue. This topic is really very simple when you get down to it but some people seem to have a mental block and will continue to misuse the terms 'variety' and 'error' no matter how many times we try to edumacate them.
Thanks for both "reads", Chris and Thad. Very useful. The one I'm not very clear on is "5. A close AM 1992 cent is actually an error. It's a mule. An unintended design coupled with another design." Why isn't this a variety? It meets the definition of a variety: "An anomaly on a die that is repeated throughout the die's life - from the first coin struck to the last coin struck". "Die errors are problems that occur with the die while it is striking coins. Cuds fall into this group, as do major clashes, overpolishing, etc. They are generally repeated ONLY after they occur." I guess the argument is that the die was only used briefly, perhaps as a test for the 1993 cent, so therefore it was a mismatch..a mule. Well, I'm no expect at this stuff but I know some real experts call it a variety. Lance.
The argument of what defines a variety and what defines an error has been going on since the first time the words were used in conjuction with coins. And the same argument will be still be going on long after even the youngest member on this forum is dead an buried. And it's not just newbies - even the most respected experts we have in the hobby argue this issue.
I think some mules should be in their own catagory, as neither an error or a variety. A variety is something that is unique to that individual die that makes it different from other dies that were used for that year that happens during hubbing. There's no way a WAM and a CAM could come from the same hub. As far as it being an error, I'm not sure about the '92 CAMS but I know the '98, '99 and the 2000 WAMS were all struck with multiple dies, so I don't believe these were errors either.
I would differ with Lange in this statement, "...A variety, in contrast, results from some oddity in the dies as made, such as a repunched date or mintmark, a misspelled word, a doubled die, a simple slip of the graver or some other such irregularity that is inherent in the dies as made..." in regards to a doubled die, such as the DD 1955 Cent. The doubling was not part of the intended design and should therefore, be considered an error.
I think he got it right. Errors don't occur for the entire life of the die. They are introduced after the die has been put into service. It's not about intent. Did every coin made with that die have this characteristic? Yes? Variety. No? Error. Lance.
An error is an abnormal and unacceptable occurrence, according to the US Mint's tolerances and allowances for normal US Coins, that happens to a an unstruck planchet or struck coin, and can included any object that's struck by a coin die i.e a feeder finger being struck by a coin die. A variety is a change made to the coin series design, and most generally under the authorization of the US Mint, but not exclusively on purpose. A mint error/variety is a change in the coins design, that accidentally occurs, during the creation of the dies i.e. a doubled die, repunched mint mark, etc. I feel there must be three classifications for this Numismatic area because there's enough distinction to label them as such.
A die variety is a coin that was intended to be struck. Even if, say the mint mark was overpunched creating an "error" in the die, the coin was still intended to be struck with that die. This makes it a "variety" In the case of the WAM cents, 92 CAMs, 88 reverse 89s, etc. These coins were never intended to have been struck as they were, so that makes them "errors". With "mules" the coin is struck with a non-intended die on one side making every "mule" coin an error. The number of coins struck does not enter into the picture. At least to my understanding. gary
