Error coin collectors look at eye appeal as the most important factor in evaluating a coin, even more so than the grade. Eye appeal varies greatly on major error coins and is a huge factor in determining the value. There are so many different types of errors and combinations of errors on individual coins giving a wide range of visual effects. The "look" of the coin and the condition of the coin all come into play. Super eye appealing coins just stand out.

Some of the coins that have potential for great eye appeal are errors like a double strike where two heads or two dates appears on the same coin. Others errors like mirror brockages, huge die breaks, double denominations, die caps, bonded die caps, and coins struck on planchet errors or scrap are just some of the errors that can produce very eye appealing coins.

High grade mint state error coins themselves have eye appeal because most mint error coins do not usually grade that high. Most error coins are in a mint state condition because they are pulled before circulating. Even though most error coins are mint state, some get caught in counting machines lowering the grade or actually damaging the coin. Thus, finding very high grade major error coins is quite rare. Eye appeal also comes in the form of beautiful toning on error coins. Rainbow toned major error coins always sell for a huge premium.

The cool thing about collecting major error coinage is the fact that you can find lower priced error coins with great eye appeal. Almost any type of error can have great eye appeal. Even coins with large die cracks or massive filled die errors look cool. Struck thru coins can have a very interesting look depending on what material is struck thru and where the stuck thru occurs.

Negative eye appeal comes in the form of scratches, scrapes, dents, ugly toning, fingerprints, corrosion, cleaning, and PVC damage. I recently purchased a coin that had some negative eye appeal in the way of a fingerprint that I almost always pass on, but the overwhelming positive eye appeal of the error outweighed the negative. The coin has a struck in staple error and can be seen in the last photo of this article.

One last aspect when considering eye appeal is the design of the coin itself. So many US coins have great designs but some not so much. There are also one year designs like the bicentennial coins that are extremely popular with error coin collectors. I personally put a premium on coin designs I like that also have a major eye appealing error. Collecting major error coins with awesome eye appeal is not only rewarding visually but can always have potential upside because those coins will always be in high demand.

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2006 PCGS MS65 Off Center On Straight End Clip
North Dakota Quarter Mint Error







1979 PCGS MS63 Double Struck 2nd 65% Off Center
Half Dollar Mint Error Two Heads







1965 ANACS MS63 Reverse Die Cap
Lincoln Cent Mint Error Rainbow Toning







1998 ANACS MS64 Mushroom Double Struck Indent
Double Date Dime Mint Error







PCGS MS64 4 Strikes On 9.25 Grains Clad Scrap
Quarter Mint Error Wow 4 Noses







Lincoln Copper Cent Struck Thru A Split Capped Die
Mint Error







1989 PCGS MS65 Cent on Struck Dime
Double Denomination Mint Error 2 Dates







1957 D NGC MS65 Flipover Doublestruck
Wheat Cent Mint Error







1983 NGC MS64 Struck Thru Capped and Broken Die
Nickel Mint Error







ANACS MS63 Multi Struck on Clad Scrap
Jefferson Nickel Mint Error







1976 PCGS MS63 Missing Clad Layer
Bicentennial Quarter Mint Error Red Copper







1935 PCGS MS64 Brockage
San Diego Ca Pacific International Exposition Mint Error







1965 NGC MS62 Obverse Clad Layer .4 Gram
Dime Mint Error Two Heads Mirrored







1964 D NGC MS62 Struck In And Retained Staple
Lincoln Cent Mint Error