Error coins are coins that have been miss-produced at the mint.
Most should have been spotted at the mint before being released into circulation,
therefore, all tend to be relatively rare.
Some error coins depending on the type of error are extremely rare. Gold ones tend
to be amongst the rarest because they are the coins that are more closely inspected
by the mints.
Error coin collecting is a more specialised coin collecting subject and although
initially error coins were scorned at by collectors, the popularity for collecting them
has increased over the recent years.
Below are several types of major error coins........................
Blank Planchet
Blank planchets, although strictly speaking aren't error coins, are still collected by error
coin collectors. They are coin planchets produced at the mint to become coins but
somehow didn't quite make it to the die's to be pressed.
There are two types of blank planchets:
Type 1 - Planchets which have just been produced and are newly cut.
Type 2 - Planchets which have been cut and then been through the next stage
(softening process) which then display rims.
Victoria Old Head Halfpenny Blank Planchet (type 2)
Off-Centre
Off centre error coins are produced when the blank coin planchet is miss-aligned and
the coin is struck, producing a coin which is off-centre. Off-center coins that still have
the date showing and at least 10% off-centre are more collectable and valuable.
1817 George III Shilling 20% Off-Centre
Brockage
A brockage occurs when a coin is struck and then sticks to usually the bottom die.
Then a new planchet is fed in and struck. The original coin that was stuck then acts as a
sort of die and leaves an incuse reverse image on the other side of the second coin.
Brockages can be found which are miss-aligned and partial. The most sought after type
are the "full" or "mirror" brockage, where the image is fully centred and a mirror of the
opposite side.
Gothic Florin Reverse Full Brockage
http://www.coinsgb.com/sitebuilder/images/Florin_Brockage-654x316.jpg Brockage
A brockage occurs when a coin is struck and then sticks to usually the bottom die.
Then a new planchet is fed in and struck. The original coin that was stuck then acts as a
sort of die and leaves an incuse reverse image on the other side of the second coin.
Brockages can be found which are miss-aligned and partial. The most sought after type
are the "full" or "mirror" brockage, where the image is fully centred and a mirror of the
opposite side.
Victoria "Bun Head" Penny Full Brockage
1878 Penny Reverse Full Brockage
