Years ago, anything past the normal was an error coin or an oddity . Today, folks see things a bit different. We have Doubled dies, clashed dies, rusty dies, worn out dies, plating problems, RPM,s RPD,s ect. Where is the line. I'll always see them as error coins but wonder how the rest view this.
Here's the way I look at it, Larry........if it's a variety, it's not an error; if it's an error, it's not a variety. Chris
I'd say, if it's not intended by the U.S. Mint during the mint process, it's an error coin on behalf of the mint (employees or equipment making a mistake or failing). Variety to me means they didn't like something at one point, changed it or corrected it and created another type of whatever, variety is something that isn't a huge deal to the mint but was changed later, creating more varieties of the same coins from a given year, etc.
If the item that differentiates the coin from the norm (Doubled Die, RPM, OMM, etc.) occurs on EVERY coin that the die pair creates then that is a Die Variety. If the item occurs on one or more but not all coins in a die run then that is an error. Errors can be further devided into the following three catagories Planchet error - Any error that occurs as a result of a problem with the planchet falls into this catagory. This would include, but is not limited to, Split planchet, lamination, cracked planchet, clamshell, clip, etc. Die error - This is any error that occurs due to a problem with the die, that occurs sometime after the die has struck its first coin. These include Die chips, Gouges, Polish marks, die cracks, cuds, etc. Strike error - this is any error that occurs as a result of a problem with the striking process. This includes Off center strike, Missaligned die, Broad strike, Saddle strike, Brokage, etc. Not all errors carry a premium, But they are errors. Richard
That would make the 1922 No D Lincoln cent produced from Die Pair 2 a variety, and the ones produced from Die Pairs 1,3 and 4 error coins (worn dies)?
