Hi all, I wanted to share my newest acquisition. Not my first but another of a type of Mint Error called a SPLIT PLANCHET The first type is a normal Planchet that was struck then split in half. I have seen these sold in a set of both the Reverse and Obverse slabbed separately. But it is extremely rare to find both halves. This is the Reverse Half Of Split Planchet weighing in at 1.4 grams
There is another Mint Error Called a Struck On A Split Planchet where the Planchet split before it was struck. Since it is a thinner Blank Planchet when it enters the chamber it is a weaker strike. This is from my collection -
It is amazing how these Split Planchets occur. They only happen with solid alloy planchets. Here is some info I want to share with you - Before strike - http://www.error-ref.com/split_plan_before/ After strike - http://www.error-ref.com/split_plan_after/
Love that Shield nickel . . . moon money! Below is my best split after strike. Care to guess what it is? It is on the website, so don't spoil the fun for others by cheating . . .
I take it with new lasers and such nothing could leave the mint like that in todays day and time?? Very Cool coins!!
Good one! It's not easy guessing when so often coins are "super-sized", but I never would have guessed that it was a dime. Maybe this was the reason for the creation of the phrase, "not one thin dime for....." Chris
My dad told me about how they make the sheet of metal for the planchets....he said something about how they put the sheets together and then they create an explosion and it melds them together. I'm not sure exactly how he said they do it but it sounded pretty neat.
"Explosive Bonding" is the term I remember being used when the first clad coins came out, referring to how the clad layers were made.
Which was one of the reasons the clad composition was chosen. It was thought that it would prevent counterfeiting. Your typical counterfeiter would not be able to do the explosive bonding to create the ingots to roll into strip. It isn't just a matter of packing explosives around it, you have to get it to bond all over and that requires a shaped charge to get the forces right and evenly distributed. If you don't have the right training in explosives you aren't going to be able to do it.