Coin collecting is a hobby that can sometimes turn up surprisingly valuable finds, particularly when certain errors are involved. These errors, resulting from mishaps during the minting process, can make an otherwise common coin worth significantly more to collectors.
Double die errors occur when a coin’s design is imprinted twice by the die used to strike it, slightly offset, causing a noticeable doubling of the design or text. This can happen on the obverse (front), reverse (back), or both sides of the coin.
The degree of misalignment can vary, with those being off by more than 50% but still showing the full date and denomination being particularly rare and valuable.
A blank planchet error is when a coin blank does not get struck with a design at all, resulting in a coin that is completely blank on both sides. These errors can happen with any type of coin and are a result of the blank slipping through the minting process without being struck.
Discovering a coin with one of these errors can be quite exciting and potentially lucrative. However, it’s important to have any valuable or rare coins authenticated by a professional grading service, as this not only verifies the coin's authenticity but also helps to establish its market value.