1955D

[Shleppodella1]

What classification would this coin get for the die chips and smeared UNUM and crack in forehead and the other things?

[MintErrors]

In my opinion, UNUM is die deterioration. The metal flow goes toward the rim.
The others are common place for later stage working dies.

[Shleppodella1]

So die chips on the words and numbers and die cracks like that are not errors then? Or just not worth while one's?
The way the UNUM flows upto the rim like that all level what is that then please because I have a few out of the same roll that have a normal looking rim then some that have that look flowing up to the rim? So the hub is distorting from repeated strikes and gets the LDS distinction(mushy, runny)?

[Shleppodella1]

Reason I ask is I see alot of slabbed errors as those go for a pretty penny (pun intended).

[MintErrors]

In my opinion, slabbed major errors might go for a pretty penny, but those are specific categories and conditions. Off-centers, wrong planchets, mules, multi-struck, brockage, improper collar, mated pair, broad struck, bonded, die caps, double denomination, transitional and proof errors are some of the major errors prior to 2003.

Return on investment is everything. Coins that go for outrageous prices can be listed on websites and no one buys them. It's easy to list high prices for the seller to hope they can ask the world and by some miracle, get one.

Search completed auctions if on a popular auction house. If on the higher end auction houses, search past auctions, and note many hammer prices DO include a buyers fee, but don't normally include taxes and shipping.

The fees associated with slabbing coins is pricey. If examination, authentication and slabbing is desired by someone a single coin can cost close to 100 bucks. If some one claims high values on the coin(s), the insurance values go up - so does the cost. Typically, third party grading services charge close to a minimum of 25 usd for return shipping on values less than somewhere near 1000 usd of value. It goes up from there. Same with grading fees. They increase significantly. They can go as high as one percent of the claimed value of the coin. I think that is somewhere near 10K of value. Check the current prices, from the TPG, as they change.

[MintErrors]

They may be classified as errors, but they are of way lesser value, in my opinion. Drama is everything in error coins. If some are only visible under magnification, it may thwart people, since they can't see it. Not everyone has a microscope, some collect "neat" things.

Like I said above, that's die deterioration. In simple terms, if a die is worn, some of the metal of the coin may escape the letters. This metal movement is designed, so the metal can flow outwards and fill the collar, keeping the coin round. The collar and metal flow creates the reeding on coins that have it.

One has to comprehend that coins are squashed between two dies with tons of pressure and its a battle of metal vs metal. Weird things happen.

The only thing I personally find interesting is a very light die clash below Lincoln's chin. That probably the reason for the abraded die or commonly called die scratches, which are raised on the coin.

I suggest to anyone interested in understanding error coins to find a copy of a book like;
The error Encyclopedia by Arnold Margolis. Fred Weinberg Co authored a later edition. This explained how the mint makes coins. People can read, hopefully comprehend each stage of the minting process. Then, they can hopefully confirm or debunk the coin in hand. Sure some potential errors are head scratchers. Some are very minor. Some may be difficult to assess.

Research is everything.