I was having a discussion with a fellow collector about whether the SBA wide rim was considered an error coin. My viewpoint was that it was a variety and not an error because the change was not a mistake so to speak but a deliberate modification to more than one set of dies. I then reasoned that an error would be a wide rim on either the obverse or reverse side and a narrow rim on the other due to mismatched set of dies. I guess my question is whether that is even possible? I'm afraid I never thought much about how coins are actually minted and am not absolutely sure about the process in general. Could there be a S.B.A. coin minted with the wide rim on one side and the narrow rim on the other? And if it is possible, has such an example every been found?
I've never seen one . I highly believe it's just not possible to have two different rims on one coin . I also believe it's a Variety coin . Why ? It was deliberate change made to the design of the coin .
Oh I forgot :https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/3360/dollars/susan-b-anthony/1979-P/wide-rim-near-date/
The Philadelphia mint changed the obverse die to a wider hendecagon rim late in 1979. Both varieties share the same reverse, which didn't change. it's technically narrow rim and wide rim obverse, the date didn't move neither did anything else. the wide rim was used from 1980. It's a die variety, not an error. It could be possibly argued that them using it early and not holding out for 1980 was an error, that possibility exists. But the possibility also exists they had no option but to roll out the new obverse to continue striking 1979s that year and no error or mistake was made, just a decision. 100% it's a variety.
The "wide rim" obverse die variety was used for 1980 and onward. it's a variety for 1979, wide rim is the normal obverse from 1980 on. if anything the narrow rim 1979 that is the common one is the one year only variety.
