Hi, I've picked this coin up whilst not paying as much attention as I should have done; am I right in thinking there is a die-crack nearly all around the 'Star' side of the coin? I also wasn't sure if there was anything beside the right-hand laurels on the Shield side? Any ideas as to grade and value greatly appreciated as we don't get to see many US coins in the UK, and I think it would be kinda cool to start collecting Shield Errors. Thanks, Clens
AFAIK are die cracks not considered "errors" but rather as "defects" resulting from excessive use of the die. I am not collecting Shield Nickels, but the coin looks AU to me.
There's a lot of die cracks/breaks in this series. Look around the date of this one. That die break is the only reason I bought it. I like them because not every one is the same.
I would consider a die crack an error. Mint defects are the same thing as error in my opinion. Check out this auction.. looks like NGC considers die cracks errors too.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/2006S-NGC-P...47?pt=Coins_US_Individual&hash=item4624557dbf
There is also a crack from the rim thru the G-bottom of the O - across the top of the cross - to the R.
In my opinion, yes. To me, an error is something from the mint that was not supposed to happen. Did you look at the NGC graded coin I posted a link to? They called a die crack an error.
Yes, I've seen that. Interestingly it's not mentioned on any NGC slabbed Shield Nickel on eBay although many have obvious die cracks. A random example:
If you consider a die crack to be an error, then almost every shield nickel is an error coin. I don't see die cracks as errors, they are just an indication of the stages the die goes through as it is used. Today they retire a die when they develop, in the 19th century they often used them until several cracks developed. With the shield nickel, die life was so short that even though the cracks developed quickly the dies were kept in use as long as possible.