When coins are manufactured, things don’t necessarily go as planned, and the results can be both very intriguing and highly collectible.
The Don Bonser Collection of United States Error Coins, Part 1 is evidence of this, containing over 160 examples of Murphy’s Law in action. This month-long auction is open now for bidding at Coins.HA.com, and will end with a live session beginning at 6PM on November 6.
Like any other manufacturing facility, the United States Mint has quality controls, and the vast majority of mint errors never leave the Mint. This is especially true with Proof issues, which are made at a much slower rate – and with much tighter quality control – than ordinary circulation strike coins.
Still, some Proof errors are released, and these are highly desirable.
One particularly notable error in this offering is a 1976-S nickel struck on a cent planchet. In 1976, the San Francisco Mint did not strike US coins for circulation, so this piece represents a Proof wrong planchet striking. Here the cent planchet used for this would-be nickel is different enough in size from the intended nickel planchet to show a clear dramatic effect, and with both the red color and the Proof finish (this coin is graded Proof-63 Red Ultra Cameo), it has attracted a good deal of attention.
Some additional notable coins from this auction include:
- (ND) Memorial Reverse Lincoln Cent — Triple Struck, All Off Center — MS65 Red and Brown NGC
- 2000 Lincoln Cent — Struck on 2000-P Dime — MS68 NGC
- 1885 5C Liberty Nickel — Struck on Rolled Thin Planchet — AU55 PCGS
- 1970-(?) Jefferson Nickel — Struck on Clad Dime Planchet — MS62 PCGS
- 1973-S Roosevelt Dime — Struck on a Liberia 1C Planchet — PR64 Red Ultra Cameo NGC
- 1971-D Washington Quarter — Ragged Clip — MS64 NGC
- 1999-P Connecticut Statehood Quarter — Struck on 5C Planchet — MS63 PCGS
- 1964 Kennedy Half Dollar — Struck on Quarter Planchet — MS62 NGC
- 1974-D Eisenhower Dollar — Struck on a Philippine 1 Piso Planchet — MS65 NGC
Part 1 od the Don Bonser Collection of United States Error Coins is open for bidding now at Coins.HA.com.
