quarter errors

[cpagak]

couple of quarter errors

01-22-2024, 08:51 PM
I got this 1978D quarter in change years ago. Looks like a planchet problem but others, after looking at pics on NGC forum disagree. Others on that forum aren't so sure. Nor am I. Pics show obverse and reverse and an edge comparison to a regular quarter. It does have reeding all the way around but taking this pic is the first time I notice the diameter is a hair shy of the regular quarter. The other is (I feel sure) a legitimate cracked planchet, also from circulation. I got the same year as the date on the coin so I graded it BU on the holder but I wouldn't argue about if someone disagreed.

I have not weighed it yet, but it's obviously thinner than the regular quarter. I have ordered the appropriate scale to weigh it and it should be delivered soon. I will weigh it and post the weight then.

Any and all input is welcome.



3 Photos

[cpagak]

I think these are more better pics: cropped obverse.jpg cropped reverse.jpg

[cpagak]

and this is a more better pic of the cracked planchet - found in change in 1987
cracked planchet.jpg

[MintErrors]

Great job cropping the photos. They look good.

As for the cracked planchet, I think a full reverse photo will help. Cameras are screwy, they will focus on the thin film on the coin holder and cause the coin to become slightly unfocused.

Not too sure what to make of the cracked planchet.mit looks like a severe die crack, and something wrong with the planchet as well. My only concern is, it looks like it was struck normally, all the devices look decent except for the R in LIBERTY. It may be a defective/cracked planchet and a die break.

[cpagak]

I am really enoying and appreciating all this interest in this topic. I have pretty much given up coin shows and local coin clubs because, at my age, I am pretty much out of the acquisition phase (except for cheap stuff, like the occasional sales tax token I might find at a flea market) and that's about all that happens at our local coin clubs. I did about a ten minute presentation one time years ago on a topic I thought was cool (might have been sales tax tokens, even, on which I also did an exhibit at the Miss. Numismatic Association state meeting - won first place but it was the only entrant) and it was mostly considered a delay of proceedings.

This topic is on NGC, too. I have had more fun on these discussion boards than I have had with numismatics in years. Who says dweebs are not fun to be around???

I'll take the cracked die coin out of the holder and take new pics

Thanks again for all the interest. I just ran up on the forums at CONECA and NGC about a week ago. Wish I had sooner.

/s/ maybe not the oldest numismadweeb in the bunch, but definitely in the top 5%

[Ronald]

I am really enoying and appreciating all this interest in this topic. I have pretty much given up coin shows and local coin clubs because, at my age, I am pretty much out of the acquisition phase (except for cheap stuff, like the occasional sales tax token I might find at a flea market) and that's about all that happens at our local coin clubs. I did about a ten minute presentation one time years ago on a topic I thought was cool (might have been sales tax tokens, even, on which I also did an exhibit at the Miss. Numismatic Association state meeting - won first place but it was the only entrant) and it was mostly considered a delay of proceedings.

This topic is on NGC, too. I have had more fun on these discussion boards than I have had with numismatics in years. Who says dweebs are not fun to be around???

I'll take the cracked die coin out of the holder and take new pics

Thanks again for all the interest. I just ran up on the forums at CONECA and NGC about a week ago. Wish I had sooner.

/s/ maybe not the oldest numismadweeb in the bunch, but definitely in the top 5%

Have you posted this (planchette error), now that the photos are ready, to Coneca services like Gary suggested in your introduction ?

[cpagak]

Not yet. I decided to wait on weight and now diameter.

[cpagak]

Here are pics of the cracked planchet sans holder. I also decided to go ahead and post the pics of the alleged planchet error to CONECA services. The main reason I didn't was not waiting on the weight. That was a lie (but not a violation of the 9th commandment). It was because I didn't know how to do it and did not want to let on that I didn't. Now I see it's just another forum!

I purposely did not rotate the reverse so the cracked part would be oriented the same way as on the obverse. Maybe I was overthinking things.

[Ronald]

Here are pics of the cracked planchet sans holder. I also decided to go ahead and post the pics of the alleged planchet error to CONECA services. The main reason I didn't was not waiting on the weight. That was a lie (but not a violation of the 9th commandment). It was because I didn't know how to do it and did not want to let on that I didn't. Now I see it's just another forum!

I purposely did not rotate the reverse so the cracked part would be oriented the same way as on the obverse. Maybe I was overthinking things.

By the look of this it appears to me someone demonstrated their plant pruning/crimping shears (bolt/wire cutter with one flat or rounded side) on this quarter. Tapered side (cutting edge) to the obverse and flat crimper side to the reverse, cutting through at the edge and then cracking/spreading the coin under the extended force of the pressing on cut/crimper before cutting clear through. Just my opinion. PMD

[cpagak]

By jove, I think you're right! Being a lover of things numismatic, that possibility never occurred to me. It would take a bolt cutter, I think. Pruners don't give enough leverage. At least the ones I have don't. I have a set that gives some leverage but nothing like bolt cutters do. And the cutting edge is not nearly as substantial as that on bolt cutters.

I have a set of bolt cutters but neither side is an "anvil" like you see on some pruners. I shall do an experiment on a regular quarter and post the findings.

[cpagak]

I realize these are crappy photographs but I think they're good enough for the purpose. I took a regular quarter and tried to cut it with my bolt cutters. No dice. I made two tries - one not all the way across the coin and one all the way across. Made indentions but didn't cut. My bolt cutters are only 18 inch ones like the set in the pic. I still think Ronald is right, though. Likely someone used a hydraulic cutting machine that had tons of pressure against an anvil.

Looks like I need to start a collection of damaged coins taken from circulation because an idiot thought they were mint errors.

bolt cutters.jpg bolt cutter obv.jpg bolt cutter rev.jpg

[MintErrors]

Hey now, we all learn everyday. When some one stumbles on a coin and learns from that coin and shares it with the community, that's a good thing. Learning and education is key. It keeps people from getting taken by coins that are not authentic error coins. We all can help each other - It just takes communication and teamwork.

There were several reasons I requested the reverse of the cracked planchet coin. I noticed on the obverse, at the southern part of that cut an unusual line. Without the reverse, sometimes it's difficult to assess a coin. If a cracked planchet was struck, I would think some of the reverse of the coin would be lacking details, some of it may not even transferred to the coin. Plus the metal flow during the strike would not be pretty.

An outstanding book to read is "the encyclopedia of error coins". It provides a verbal tour through reading of the US mint. Yes, things have changed since then but a lot of the material is still valid and applies to this day.

I got an autographed copy from Fred W a few years ago. It's getting scarce to find. I think it originally retailed for close to 40 bucks. A library, flea market or book store may have one in stock.

https://books.google.com/books?id=9HryPwAACAAJ&dq=inauthor:%22Fred+Weinberg+(numismatist.)%22&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiY7NSnvvmDAxXyFFkFHbT2CcAQ6AF6BAgBEAE

[Ronald]

I realize these are crappy photographs but I think they're good enough for the purpose. I took a regular quarter and tried to cut it with my bolt cutters. No dice. I made two tries - one not all the way across the coin and one all the way across. Made indentions but didn't cut. My bolt cutters are only 18 inch ones like the set in the pic. I still think Ronald is right, though. Likely someone used a hydraulic cutting machine that had tons of pressure against an anvil.

Looks like I need to start a collection of damaged coins taken from circulation because an idiot thought they were mint errors.

bolt cutters.jpg bolt cutter obv.jpg bolt cutter rev.jpg

Good follow up, if Gary had not requested pics of both sides of this coin I probably would not have become curious.
Having zoomed in and seeing the damage difference, one to the other and the image left on the coin of what made the damage might resemble, it behooved me to participate.
with that said it appeared to be a cutting tool, scissoring type (plier, pruner etc) that was tip loaded, but not cut clear through. I took the liberty to outline my (tip load) theory…thanks for sharing and following through on an example.


IMG_4183.jpg IMG_4182.jpg