Error or Variety?

If the US Mint strikes a medal in coin alignment, is it considered an error or a variety?

 

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That would be an error.

Varieties come from progressive die changes as they are made from hubs.

 

I say error.

 

The current standard is any rotation over 15 degrees. It would be an error for the question

 

If they did it deliberately it's a variety.

 

Wouldn't it be reasonable to assume that coin alignment on a medal is a rotation of 180 degrees?

 

Let's try not to read the minds of Mint employees.

 

15 degrees off what its supposed to be is the standard for an error. I didnt make the standard and if things are supposed to be aligned that way obviously that wouldnt apply

 

It all depends on how many trial strikes were made.
Let's see the coin @cpm9ball , Um, Medal.

 

Of all of the first 41 Presidential medals, Washington through Clinton, I have 2 that were struck in coin alignment and 39 that were struck in medal alignment.

 

Hi 9ball, it sounds like you have 2 errors and 39 non-errors.
Just like every one else, I'd like to see them. Please post pix of the medals in front of a mirror so we can see the error clearly.
Thanx

 

Unfortunately, I no longer have my camera equipment, but it really isn't necessary to post photos to show what I have. My only question was whether or not they were considered an error or a variety. I know the difference between coin alignment and medal alignment. I started collecting coins and medals decades ago.

FYI, taking a photo in front of a mirror is not necessarily the best way to show both sides of a medal (or coin) at the same time. It often results in a blurry image. It is much better to place the medal in a 2x2 and take photos of both sides with staples placed in strategic positions to indicate the amount of rotation.

 

I would consider the two you have as errors and if in nice condition, I might send them in for authentication and slabbing. Let us know if you do and post the results please.

 

could be either, but I'd think with a medal, and struck in coin alignment, then a whole lot of them would have been struck in coin alignment, in which case, i'd think it would have been more of a variety.

It's an error, like die rotation, but with the low mintage of medals, I'd think it would be a significant amount of the mintage if it was done in coin alignment, now if a die comes loose and rotates, it might effect just a few but by using the term coin alignment, I'd think it's implied that it was a die setting issue and every coin struck from the die pair was done that way.

when the error is so common, it does become an identifying variety, like a VAM would.

 

I've had the whole set for 16 years, but I wouldn't want to alter the set just to have the pair attributed. I don't want to go to the expense of slabbing the other 39 either.

 

I was wondering if that might be possible, myself, but I've had them for 16 years and I've never seen or heard of a report of coin alignment for these two.

I brought up the alignment question because I remember owning the 2005-S Kansas Silver Proof quarter that was originally considered an error but 7 years later was changed to a variety, FS-901. Apparently, there were about a dozen of the quarters that escaped probably due to poor quality control.

 

I wasn't questioning what you have or your knowledge of the difference. I was simply hoping you'd post photos for the benefit of your fellow CT'ers. I'd like to see them. I'm sure others would also.
I also use the "flip'n'staple" method of determining alignment but it isn't as much fun as the photos.

If, as baseball states, 15 degrees off is the standard for alignment, then I'm going to have to re-examine many of my coins, mostly cents.

Thanks for the thread.

 

While it is the standard to be deemed an error, it doesnt guarantee a premium. The more off it is such as the 180 degrees for the wrong alignment the bigger possible premium but not assured. Of course it depends on the series/date/mm etc. I'm not telling anyone to run out and and pay the error fees for anything that would fit that where you technically could get it called an error, you just have to examine is it worth it or not

 

Well then it can't be answered, can it? You're asking a nonsensical question, that is to say, the answer to which can't be determined just by looking at it.

 

Die rotation issues are errors. It doesn't matter how many are struck that way. It never becomes a variety.