How do I guess at the amount a coin is off center? If I had to guess, I would say that this coin is 70% to 75% off center. What would your opinion be? Would a curved clip be measured the same but in reverse? Say a 4% to 5% clip? Thanks for any suggestions! Ben
You can weigh the coin to determain the approx. % of clip. The off-center (to me) looks about 75-80%. I have some formula's somewhere, I'll see if I can dig them up...
Some people calculate off-center % based upon how much design is missing, and others do it based on how much planchet is visible. I prefer how much design is showing, as this really is a more descriptive method since, for example, a coin can show 80% of the planchet surface but also be only missing 60% of the design. So if there is only 20% of the design showing (as I would judge your coin), then you would call the coin 80% off-center. Clips can be done by weight, but I prefer an approximation based on how large the clip appears. Weighing the coin is more of a scientifically accurate method, but it's a flawed method if you're a collector, because virtually all collectors really don't care how much metal is "technically" missing, but simply want to know how big the clip is visually. So I used the "visual" method. Your coin appears to be missing 5% of the coin, so I would call it a 5% clip. Jon
@ Abe: Thanks! How could I not think of weight? Guess I need a nice little electronic scale. I wish I knew a drug dealer or two. I bet they could help me out with just what I'm looking for. We used them when I worked in a Coke lab. Wait, you do understand I mean Coca-Cola when I saw that. I work in a QC lab for Coca-Cola for a few years. Let me know if you come up with an easy formula to measure the off-centers. Just remember it needs to be EASY, 'cause you know... math can be hard! @ jon: I'm looking for the collecting standard on off-centers and clips, which I think is how much of the design (or coin) is missing. Can someone let me know for sure? Thanks! Ben
Ben, You will find both standards out there. PCGS judges clips by weight, most error dealers do not, but judge by the visual method (as an error dealer, I use the visual method.) I know NGC calculates the % of off-center according to how much design is showing. You will find dealers who use both methods or just one of the methods (confusing, I know.) I use the "amount of design showing" method. Hope this helps. Jon
