Off Center Double Struck 1974 5 Cent Error

Above you can see a stunning 1974 5 cent that has a second strike about 75% off centre from the first. Keen observers will also note that the second strike on the obverse shows part of the 5 cent reverse design. The second strike on the reverse by contrast, shows some remnants of the first strike but is largely blank. This peculiar appearance is quite distinct from what is a normal off centre double strike such as the 2008 or 2009 double struck $2 coins that first appeared a few years ago. The second strike on those $2 coins is an off-centre duplicate of the first, obverse to obverse and reverse to reverse.

What can we learn from the appearance of the second strike? Firstly, with the second strike showing reverse design elements on the obverse of the first strike we’re looking at what is known as a “flip over double strike”. Which is exactly as it sounds, the coin has flipped over in between the first and second strikes. Secondly, the relative lack of features in the double struck region on the reverse of the coin indicates that there was a coin blank in between the error coin and the reverse die when the second strike occurred. Having been struck the second time with another coin blank in the die press means the second strike was a much higher pressure than a normal strike, and this has completely obliterated all evidence of the initial strike on the obverse (LIZABETH). Compare this with the double struck $2 coins mentioned earlier where evidence of the second strike is usually quite obvious in the double struck regions of the coin due to the lower pressure of the second strike.

It is worth considering what the other coin this error was struck against might look like. It will have a crescent shaped indentation on the reverse, and within that indentation there might be a partial brockage impression of the obverse of this coin. Actually it might look something like the coin below:

1966 Indent 5 Cent Error

Of course the year is wrong and it’s not the actual coin that mates with our 1974 flip over double struck error above, but that’s pretty much what the other coin would look like, it is of course an indent error. Indent errors and off center double struck errors like the coin we’re talking about here fit together to form what is known as a “saddle strike”. Decimal indent errors are rare, off center double struck coins rarer again, and having a matched pair as a saddle strike is almost unheard of. We’ve heard of less than 5 matched saddle strike pairs in the last 15 years and never actually seen one in hand to be able to take an image of one. That’s how rare they are. The best we can offer is the image below, of a 10 cent saddle strike pair that appeared on eBay 4 years ago. These are the seller’s images and credit must go to that person for them.

10 Cent Error Saddle Strike Pair

There you have it, an off center flip over double struck 5 cent from 1974. Extremely desirable and a fine addition to any error collection. And one half of a pair of errors that would be the magnificent centre piece of error types.

2001 20 Cent on Bi-Metal Planchet

Above you can see a truly spectacular error, a 2001 Australian 20 cent struck on a bi-metal planchet. Wrong or foreign planchet errors are at the apex of desirability for Australian error collectors, and errors like this coin that are so obviously wrong are the most wanted of the bunch. Struck on a 10.66g planchet with a nickel or copper-nickel core surrounded by a brass or aluminium bronze ring, this 2001 20c is not the first error of this type sighted. That honour belongs to an example that appeared in 2007 Downies Auction where it sold for about $3500. The example you can see above surfaced this year and was the subject of an article of an article in the September 2017 Edition (page 10) of the Australasian Coin and Banknote Magazine.

It then appeared in Downies Auction 325 (lot 1785) where it was incorrectly described as the discovery coin from 2007. The coin sold for $8000 plus commission of 20% in that auction. The coin has been wiped (cleaned) sometime in the past, with the very first images of the coin posted online in early 2017 by the original owner clearly showing the cleaning applied by some mis-guided individual trying to ‘improve the coin’.

How does this type of error occur? So called ‘blank contamination’, where coin blanks of one type inadvertently contaminate the supply of another type. This could happen at the source of the blanks, which in this case was likely to be a company in South Korea. That company makes hundreds of different types of coin blanks and it’s not to difficult to imagine that every now and again a blank of one type could end up contaminating the supply of another type. For example, in the the Australian $1 coin on a bi-metal planchet was a result of that sort of contamination. Alternatively it could happen at the mint of origin when blanks of one type of coin minted contaminate the blank supply of another. For example, this 1944s florin on a shilling planchet, struck in San Francisco when the US mint was manufacturing both Australian florins and shillings (and threepences for that matter).

One of the two major Australian coin catalogues mentions the discovery piece for this error where it’s vaguely described as being struck “on a blank for a foreign customer”. We’ve got a more firm opinion having conducted a survey of all bi-metal coins from the 2000 and 2001 periods. The only coin which matches the specifications of the blanks these errors were struck on is KM#1262 , the Iranian 250 Rials. That coin weighs 10.7g, with a brass ring and a copper nickel core. It’s more than likely that blanks for the 250 rial coins of the period are the source of the blank that these amazing bi-metal errors were struck on.

Australian 2017 20 Cent Struck on Cook Islands $2 Planchet

Above you can see one of the most spectacular errors to come out of the Royal Australian Mint since the Australian 20c and dollar coins struck on bi-metal planchets. Or perhaps an error by the Royal Mint accidentally striking Australian 20c on Hong Kong scalloped planchets back in 1981. This coin above is truly a one in a million, or perhaps one in 50 million or even a billion. Falling from a mint roll this coin is absurdly wrong for an Aussie 20 cent piece. Firstly it’s the wrong shape, our coins are round right? Yes, this coin is triangular! Next it’s the wrong colour, appearing aluminium bronze like our one and 2 dollar coins and not as a cupro-nickel 20 cent should. Not like any of the other coins in the roll.

That’s because the Royal Australian Mint in Canberra has made a terrible mistake…….

A planchet intended to become a Cook Islands 2 dollar coin has accidently got mixed up in the barrel of blanks intended to strike Australian 20c cents. This error is not improbable as the Mint struck $2 coins for the Cook Islands dated 2015 over the past few years. What an incredible error coin though to find for just 20 cents! Technically though it is an Australian 20c, but worth a lot more to coin collectors. This coin error is known as a wrong planchet error, foreign planchet error and off-metal planchet error, what a stunning coin.

Update 14 December 2017

This coin appeared in the Universal Coin Company December live auction where it sold for AUD$9600 plus AUD$1440 buyers premium. It appears there was a problem with that sale or the buyer as the vendor then sold the coin on eBay in August 2018 for $8,400 now in a PCGS slab graded MS66 (35489365).

It’s time to have a look at some of the most interesting error coins available to Australian buyers via eBay auctions or BIN listings.

1976 Broadstrike Error 5 Cent

The broadstrike coin error is the most commonly available error on the decimal 5 cent coin. However, in almost all examples the coins date to this century and it’s unusual to see one dating back to 1976. But in the case of this eBay auction we’ve got exactly that, a broadstruck 1976 5 cent in a decent (and perhaps uncirculated) grade. This coin appears from the images to be a nice example of an earlier date copper nickel Australian decimal coin with this type of error. Realising $228.40 plus postage, the auction now complete achieved a high price.

View the 1976 Broadstrike 5 Cent on eBay

1946 Shilling Broadstrike Error

Another broadstrike coin error, this one on a shilling dating 3 decades prior to the last coin we talked about. While not technically an off-centre error (because none of the design is missing) it wouldn’t surprise us to see it called thus with an impressive bulging lip around about half of the coin. Shilling errors of this type are not unusual but examples from 1946 are a bit harder to find. As is typical with this type of error the protected side of the coin (reverse) is an excellent grade (perhaps UNC) while the obverse shows some signs of wear. Despite this the coin looks to be a nicely broadstruck shilling from more than 60 years ago.

1946 Shilling Broadstrike Error

1962 Penny Rotated Die or Upset Die Error Set

Australian coins are typically struck in medal alignment and in most cases any other angles result in the upset or rotated die coin error. Similar to the better known 2001 Centenary of Federation upset error 1962 upset pennies can be found with any degree of upset. This eBay seller has put together a so-called ‘clock face’ of 1962 upset errors with 12 coins at each hour of the clock face. It’s an interesting set and the first of the type we’ve seen. In fact, we very rarely see a single 1962 upset penny, let alone a set of 12!

1962 Penny Rotated Die or Upset Die Error Set

Disclaimer
Information provided in this article is our opinion only on the coin depicted in the images shown in the eBay listing. It is not an endorsement of any seller and any purchase our readers make through eBay is at their own risk and adheres to eBay’s terms and conditions.

It’s time to have a look at some of the most interesting error coins available to Australian buyers via eBay auctions or BIN listings.

Australia 1964 Ramstrike Penny

The ramstrike or high lip coin error is a favourite among collectors. The error is a result of the coin blank not engaging properly with the collar die when struck and part of the blank is extruded as the blank is driven down into the anvil die by the hammer die. In this case, as the high lip is on the reverse of the coin the obverse was the anvil die and the reverse the hammer die.

If you’re looking for a high grade example of the ramstrike then the 1964M penny is probably going to be the easiest to find. The example in this auction has a decent sized bulging lip, is mostly toned brown, but still has a decent amount of remaining mint red and looks like it would be a good example of the type.

View the 1964M Ramstrike Penny on eBay

1946 Florin struck with Broken Die Error

There are broken dies and then there are broken dies. The 1946 florin in this auction was struck when the reverse die has cleanly broken into two parts with one segment shifting a millimetre or two away from the other. What’s more it appears that the broken part of the die has tilted slightly. The result is a massive reverse die crack and extensive strike weakness due to the broken part of the die tilting or moving when the coin was struck. A quite remarkable error and not one we’ve seen before.

View the 1946 Florin struck with Broken Die Error on eBay

Buyer Beware

We only found a couple of errors worth posting up this week but while we were looking about we saw a number of coins with multiple bids that were being sold as errors but were clearly NOT errors. We remind our readers to educate themselves with regards to the coin manufacturing process and to never bid on anything that they are unsure about. We also encourage you to read our These Coins ARE NOT Errors article as at least a couple of the “errors” we saw with multiple bids are excellent examples of fabricated errors we talk about in that article.

Disclaimer
Information provided in this article is our opinion only on the coin depicted in the images shown in the eBay listing. It is not an endorsement of any seller and any purchase our readers make through eBay is at their own risk and adheres to eBay’s terms and conditions.