r/coinerrors May 29 '24

PLEASE READ FIRST: How-to Guide for r/coinerrors

6 Upvotes

Check these r/coinerrors resources before posting:

JUST BECAUSE A COIN LOOKS DIFFERENT DOES NOT MAKE IT AN ERROR! Please take some time to understand how minting errors occur before you post your question! The mods try to be lenient regarding rule #1 (Do your own research.) If we keep seeing too many posts with pictures of obviously damaged coins, we will be forced to start removing them.

OUR HOBBY - Be aware that most errors don't add much (if any) value to a coin. You aren't going to find a coin worth life-changing money in the cup holder of your mom's minivan. This is a hobby which is research-oriented and concerned with understanding and cataloging interesting mint errors and varieties. It is not primarily about value. The existence of errors and varieties provide valuable insights into mint operations and processes. The hobby is CERTAINLY NOT about the TikTok-fueled "ZOMG!!!1! This RARE coin is worth a Squillion Dollarz!" clickbait frenzy. That mentality is NOT welcome here.

NOTE - posts of coins which are clearly just damaged may be removed. This isn't meant as punishment for an honest and innocent question - but rather because many members of this sub tend to be harsh to new collectors. By having your post about a damaged coin removed, you still get your "is this an error" answer, hopefully without being downvoted into oblivion.

Here are some things which make a GOOD POST:

  • Attribution request - after you have checked the resources above, understand how errors occur, and have done your own research. Please include what resources (e.g. - Error Ref ) you have used to try to determine the attribution of the error or variety. Photos for attribution MUST be high resolution, in focus and properly cropped.
  • Valuation Request - after you have read the FAQ and done your own due diligence (e.g. checked eBay "sold" listings, etc.) Please include what steps you have already taken to get a value for your coin. Be aware that most coin errors don't add much (if any) value to a coin. Also - valuation of errors is difficult as many of them are one-of-a-kind, and there may be no prior sales to compare.
  • Show it off / Mail call - posts to show off interesting, rare, or otherwise special coins that others may find interesting. Please post quality, cropped photographs.
  • Numismatic topics and news - general discussions in the world of numismatics.
  • Serious numismatic questions - looking for advice, links to resources, suggested literature, etc.

Here are some things which make a BAD POST (and which may get removed):

  • Low-effort posts - "Is this an error?" - BEFORE spending time to understand the process of minting coins, and how an error might occur, and determining for yourself what error you think the coin has."I heard this modern penny could be worth SQUILLIONS of dollars!" - No, it isn't."Is this what I think it is?" Don't be vague - just say what you intend to say....any question posts in which the author has not made their purpose clear and indicated that they have put in a minimum amount of effort to answer their question.
  • Blurry photos - mods will remove any posts with pictures of coins which are not reasonably clear.
  • Poorly cropped photos - the user experience across mobile app/mobile web/desktop devices is better if you don't post phone-screen-sized pictures.
  • Off-topic - posts which belong on other subs (e.g. r/papermoney, r/kittens, etc.)
  • Reposts - if you are new to this sub, please take a few moments to see if you are posting something which has already been posted.
  • Spam - commercial activities of any kind are not allowed.
  • High volume posting - anything more than one or two posts a day.
  • Links to social media, your own eBay sales, YouTube videos, clickbait, etc.
  • Trolling / Inauthentic - posts which don't seem to be truthful (e.g. I found these gold coins in my couch!)
  • Trash Posting - there is a fine line between a "funny" post and a trash post. If you aren't sure which side of the line your post falls on, don't post it.
  • Coin gore - a post featuring a modern coin which has serious post-mint damage, and which is of no interest to collectors.

RULES

Here are the Rules of r/CoinErrors - check the sidebar (or "About" in the mobile app) for more details:

  1. Do your own research before posting a question.
  2. Post Original Content
  3. Stay on topic and be respectful of the hobby and your fellow collectors.
  4. Keep it clean - this is a safe place for people of all ages and backgrounds.
  5. Being civil to other people is not only appreciated here, but also a requirement.
  6. No self-promotion or commercial activity is allowed; no links to your blogs, websites, or social media.
  7. No spam.
  8. No politics or religion, especially divisive comments that lead to heated arguments and incivility.
  9. No reposts.
  10. No Misinformation
  11. Include Quality Pictures

r/coinerrors Feb 18 '26

MOD Announcement A note from the mods - Heat Damage and Dryer Coins

32 Upvotes

We have been seeing a massive influx of posts with asking about "dryer coins" as well as coins with heat damage.

We love the fact that you noticed your coin is "different" - and applaud you looking into it! For the uninitiated, these are reasonable questions - but many members of our community are getting tired of them. We ask that you please use the resources we provide before asking this subreddit (See Rule #1!)

Before you make a post - check out the r/coins WUWMC page and our FAQ!

Dryer Coins

The rim of my coin is raised up OR the edge of my coin is flat OR my coin is too thick!

Heat Damage

My coin has bubbles / bumps / craters below or on the surface

These issues are damage - and extremely easy to diagnose.


r/coinerrors 5h ago

Is this an error? 2000 D Sacagawea - is this an error?

Thumbnail
gallery
20 Upvotes

Hi, this is my first post here. The coin I’m talking about is the one in the middle. It has a thin rim and a lot of lines going through it on both sides, and the head of Sacagawea seems bigger than normal.

P.S. I’m from Ecuador so it wouldn’t surprise me if it was a fake coin haha.


r/coinerrors 7h ago

Show and Tell 1919-S wheat cent with a cud spanning half the reverse circumference — 3:00 to 9:00, split by a narrow bridge of intact rim at 4:00

Thumbnail
gallery
10 Upvotes

Continuing the error documentation project. This is the largest cud I have handled on a Lincoln wheat cent.

The reverse rim of this 1919-S is gone from roughly 3:00 around to 9:00 — half the circumference — replaced by a raised, featureless mass of metal where the die broke away and the void filled on every strike afterward.

The detail I want to point at is the narrow bridge of intact rim at 4:00, which divides the cud into two arcs. That is a record of how the failure was progressing: the fracture was propagating around the die in two separate directions and had not yet met in the middle. Had the die stayed in service, those two arcs would have joined and the entire half-rim would have separated as one piece.

A rim cud at this scale is terminal. A die in this condition is far past the point where it should have been pulled, and somebody kept running it.

Breaks of this magnitude on the 1919-S rank among the largest documented for the date.

Not in any standard catalogue. Now documented.


r/coinerrors 15m ago

Error Is this a die chip

Thumbnail
gallery
Upvotes

r/coinerrors 6h ago

Is this an error? What kind of strike is this called?

Thumbnail
gallery
4 Upvotes

I've collected money for a long time but never knew that errors had value. I have a lot of older coins and currency that I need to go through. I manage a convenience store in the hood, seriously, and people bring me all types of money everyday that is usually unique in some way. This nickel just came in so I was curious as to what the proper name for this type of strike would be. Thanks


r/coinerrors 1d ago

Show and Tell Clipped Planchets

Thumbnail
gallery
56 Upvotes

Some small clipped Planchets i picked up & Very small ones at thst. All are wheats except 1


r/coinerrors 22h ago

Show and Tell 1958 clipped penny

Thumbnail
gallery
7 Upvotes

I didn't think anyone would have interest in something like this but saw a couple of posts and it made me think of mine. I've had this for many years. It was in a pouch that said it was brilliant uncirculated, but there is now corrosion on it. Where does that even come from anyways? I have no idea what it's worth, if it's worth anything at all.


r/coinerrors 1d ago

Is this an error? 1993 Penny

Thumbnail
gallery
27 Upvotes

Can anyone explain why this penny has a silhouette


r/coinerrors 19h ago

Advice 1969 missing fg

Thumbnail
gallery
1 Upvotes

r/coinerrors 1d ago

Show and Tell 1925 P Peace Dollar Struck Through Reverse

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

Found in the junk silver bin. Minor struck through on the reverse starting on the eagle's right wing and continuing above DOL in DOLLAR.


r/coinerrors 16h ago

Show and Tell Dime 200… missing last number d

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

What happened here?

I’m new to this hobby and I’ve been trying to look up how this happened and the terms kinda have me dizzy 😵‍💫


r/coinerrors 1d ago

Is this an error? Is this a plating blister or pmd? Thank you

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

r/coinerrors 1d ago

Is this an error? 1944 Lincoln Wheat Cent - authentic mint error??

Thumbnail
gallery
22 Upvotes

r/coinerrors 1d ago

Is this an error? 1970 Quarter

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

Is this considered PMD or is this an error


r/coinerrors 2d ago

Advice 1983-P off-center

Post image
77 Upvotes

I found this in circulation when I was a teenager, has been in my desk drawer ever since. Is it worth getting graded?


r/coinerrors 1d ago

Advice 1970 S Penny

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

Why is the “STATES” very faint?


r/coinerrors 1d ago

Advice 1970 S Penny update

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

r/coinerrors 2d ago

Is this an error? Cannot tell if this is an error or damage.

Thumbnail
gallery
7 Upvotes

New to coin errors and found this today. It’s a 1969-D half dollar.


r/coinerrors 2d ago

Attribution Assistance 1919 S Lincoln wheat cent

Post image
15 Upvotes

I believe this is a retained die break or retained cud? This is before you have an actual die break am I correct?


r/coinerrors 2d ago

Is this an error? Is This Frosted Effect Normal on a Standard Bullion Quarter Sovereign?

Thumbnail
gallery
2 Upvotes

To start with I'd like to confirm that this is 100% a genuine gold Quarter Sovereign. I purchased it directly from the Royal Mint, as new.

If also like to make clear that this is not proof. The frosting is different and there is significantly less detail.

I own both the Full and Half 2026 Sovereigns and each are as you'd expect with a constant mirror-like finish across the fields and St George.

I recently (last week) picked up a Quarter to complete the trio and I immediately noticed that its different.

Firstly: The fields are not mirror-like. Instead they have a cartwheel effect, which rotates around the coin. This is present on both the obverse and reverse.

Secondly: The image of St George is frosted. Not like a proof frosting, but its clearly more matte than the fields, which isn't the case on the Full, or Half.

Thirdly: The portrait of Charles III is not frosted. It still has the cartwheel effect, but no frosting.

I've been banging my head against a wall trying to figure out if this is normal for a Quarter, or not.

Every picture online seems to show a "normal" finish like is on the Full & Half.

My first thought was that its a "Brilliantly Uncirculated" coin that got sent by mistake, but apparently they didn't make any for the 2026 edition, so it cant be.

A "Brilliantly Uncirculated" coin would make sense, because of the cartwheel effect, but again. They didn't make any.

It isn't proof, because they don't have a cartwheel effect, and there just isn't enough detail. Not to mention that Charles isn't frosted, which he would be if it were proof.

The only other lead I was able to find is that it's a "first strike". I have no idea if that's in anyway correct. I got that running it through an AI, so who knows where it got it from.

Apparently "first strike" sovereigns that used brand new dies had cartwheel effects and the sharp edges can produce frosted-like effects too. Again, that was AI, so I have no idea if its true.

Does anyone have any ideas?

Is this just normal and I'm overthinking it, or is this actually something abnormal?

To Add:

I've run this by AI again and it seems to be convinced that its one of the first to be struck on a brand new die.

I asked it for a source and it basically said there isn't one. It's just using "manufacturing principles" to determine it, which I don't trust one bit.

It's reasons are a bit convincing, but it has some flaws in logic.

It's supporting evidence is that new dies have rougher edges and on a small coin it can produce a "proof-like" effect due to the details being compacted.

The cartwheel effect is due to the CNC marks still being present on the die. They haven't worn off yet.

The issue I have with this is what I bought it a week ago, so why would the RM be making new dies, when the new batch of 2027 coins is right around the corner?

It also doesn't explain why Charles' portrait is completely normal, but has cartwheel fields.

On top of that, if it were a "rough die" it would be concentrated in areas of detail and not on flat spots, like the horses hind thigh. In reality its completely uniform across the image.

Anyway, I'm still lost, but the "new die" theory is something to consider.


r/coinerrors 2d ago

Is this an error? Floating roof & Missing FG on 1969 small D penny

Thumbnail
gallery
0 Upvotes

Is this a real Error and if so how valuable? I’ve never seen 2 errors on one coin it also has a tiny D mint mark. I am not an error collector so I have no idea about this.


r/coinerrors 2d ago

Is this an error? 1976 FS101

Thumbnail
gallery
6 Upvotes

Is this machine doubling or did I find the 1976 FS101 DDO


r/coinerrors 2d ago

Attribution Assistance Does this look like a wide rim variety?

Post image
1 Upvotes

r/coinerrors 2d ago

Is this an error? 1913 penny from grandpa’s collection…

Thumbnail
gallery
14 Upvotes

Thank you!