does it take 2 to be a variety?

I thought I had it down. coin...error. die...variety. guess there just is no "easy" when it comes to this.

 

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It's just like life, there's black, white and grey. As you learn, the differences will start to make more sense. Learning is what makes this hobby so much fun.

 

I'll ask you this question. Where/when in the process of manufacturing a new finished die - is a die clash created?

 

Clashes do not make for a variety, that is correct. Having said that, they also reproduce on every coin struck thereafter and thus absolutely 100% cannot correctly be considered errors. Die clashes can serve as markers for die state, however. So you can have variety A state i (pristine), state ii (clashed), etc. Die breaks, chips, and resurfacing are all markers for die state. These are all markers and not varieties because they occur from wear and tear and maintenance of the dies. They are not original design elements (intentional or not) on the die, which is what would make a variety.

NGC's definition "A variety is a coin that has characteristics specific to the die pair that struck it" is correct. To clarify the varieties from die pairings, different die pairs only constitute varieties when they can be identified by markers on the die.

For example take the following dies:
Obverse die A (narrow date)
Obverse die B (wide date)
Reverse die X (normal)
Reverse die Y (normal)
Reverse die Z (repunched legend)

These could potentially make four varieties:
A/X or Y (narrow date)
A/Z (narrow date/repunched legend)
B/X or Y (wide date)
B/Z (wide date/repunched legend)

This is extremely common with early US coinage. Note that because reverse die X and Y are indistinguishable, the use of either produces the same variety.

Something else to keep in mind. There are both major varieties and minor varieties. A major variety might be something like an overdate, whereas a minor variety might be something like a slightly larger arrow head. Both major and minor varieties are varieties, however, a type collector for example may care about a major variety but not a minor one (and may not even know that they exist). For example, small capped bust quarters 1831-1838 have 36 varieties (38 if you include collar changes). Out of those, only 2 varieties are listed in Cherry Picker's, and only 1 variety is listed in the Red Book. By definition, all of these are varieties, but depending on who you talk to, bear in mind they may only be talking about major varieties.

 

It doesn't occur during the manufacturing of a die. It happens during the life of the die by accident. A die clash occurs when a coin is struck but there is no planchet between the dies. The dies instead make contact with each other and can leave an outline of the devices (the low points on the coin - high points on the die) on the opposing die. If the marks on the opposing die are strong enough, they get transferred to successive coins that are struck.

 

Which was the point of my posing the question. With a few exceptions - a variety is created during the manufacturing of a die and/or the pairing of dies.