Bringing the latest mint error news to the collector. Also featuring Die Trials, Patterns, Test Pieces, Numismatic Rarities, Currency Errors and Discoveries from the U.S. Mint.
An ugly split in a coin's metal can often be worth a pretty penny.
Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) is the world's leading authority on mint errors, a popular segment of numismatics. In Mint Error Coin Chronicles, we take an in-depth look at a specific kind of mint error. This month's topic is the Planchet Crack.
Planchet Cracks occur when the planchet on which a coin is struck splits. This is often caused by impurities in the metal. It differs from a Die Crack, where the crack is in the die itself, which then manifests itself as a seam of metal interrupting the design on the struck coin.
This Guatemala 1915 12.5 Centavos is graded NGC Mint Error MS 64 BN for two errors: It was struck 30% off center and it has a Planchet Crack. It is offered in a Heritage Auctions sale in late October 2024.
Another example of a Planchet Crack is this 1766 Pitt Halfpenny graded NGC Mint Error MS 63 BN. It realized $5,750 at a Heritage Auctions sale in January 2010.
This 1866 Three Cent Nickel graded NGC Mint Error MS 61 with a Planchet Crack realized $960 in a Heritage Auctions sale in January 2022. A coin in the same grade without the error would be expected to sell for about $150.
