Written by the TreasureGuide for the exclusive use of the Treasure Beaches Report.
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| 1994 US Cent With Spike-Head Die Crack |
There is a whole category of treasures that many detectorists overlook. Those treasures can pass right through their fingers without being recognized. I'm talking about error coins and die crack errors in particular.
Above is a 1994 cent with a large spike-head die crack. It is called a spike-head because it goes from the rim to Lincoln's head. This one runs from the E down through Licolns head, past his eye and to his chin.
Die crack coins are not uncommon, but some are better than others. There are a good number of spike-heads and a large number of the examples I've seen where the crack starts at the rim at the W or E and runs down through Abe's head.
Determining whether you have a die crack coin valued at $5 or an especially valuable error coin worth $100 will depend on the following:
- Where the die break is located
- How big the die break is
- If that die break is classified as a rarity by error coin specialists
- If that particular variety is sought by many collectors
Below is a broken die. Before a die breaks, it cracks. The crack increases until the die finally breaks if the die has not been replaced before that. As a result, it is possible to find die cracks on coins in various sizes and states as the crack grows.
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| Source: cuds-on-coins.com |
These kinds of coins are produced by cracked die. It is not a cracked coin. The die crack leaves a raised line on the coin.
Probably the best die error coin I ever found is RIBD-1c-1998-01. It has a retained internal die break (shown below).
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| Lincoln Cent with Retained Interior Die Break. |
When I started looking for error coins, I didn't know about these things. I just saw something that looked like it might be something and posted i the coincommunity.com site and was told what I had or didn't have. I remember someone telling me this was a good one and I should send photos to J C Stevens at cuds-on-coins.com. That is a site that catalogs thousands of examples of die crack error coins.
Of course, there are a lot of coins showing small die cracks. Those small and common crakcs, of course, being common are not worth anything. For example the little crack on the memorial side of the Lincoln cent shown below on which the crack starts below the corner of the steps and runs up through the steps.
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| Die crack running from edge of coin and up stairs. |
Don't confuse scratches on a coin for die cracks. Under magnification you can see that scratches cut into the metal. Scratches can be distinguish them from strike-through errors by close inspection of the metal along the scratch or strike-through. Scratches look something like a row in a plowed field. There will be metal raised along the sides and on the leading edge of a scratch. You can easily see that by using magnification.
Although it is not easy to find valuable coin errors in pocket change or dug finds, there are some easy and common things for the beginner to spot. For example, die chips are common and easy to find and can keep a person entertained while they scan through coins for more significant things. Die chips can often be found on the wheat stalks of wheat cents, on Roosevelts face on dimes. as well on the reverse of dimes. and on Jefferson's nose on quarters.
I highly recommend inspecting your coin finds for error coins., but if you know nothing about them, there are some excellent books and coin sites where others will help you idenify what you found if you can post a photo.
Don't get discouraged when you find a lot of things you tbink are valuable die errors but are not. It is difficult to find valuable double die errors that you always read about. I've never found one. Or if I did, I didn't recognize it. Some examples are more obvious than others. Machine doubling looks a lot like a double-die error, but there are differences and they can be distinguished. but with practice you can learn to tell the difference. Machine doubling is very common and not interesting to collectors.
In summary, I'd recommend anyone who metal detects to inspect your coin finds closely. It might take a long while before you find something significant. You'll learn as you practice and get feedback from other coin collectors online.
Here is a good reference.
The Ultimate List Of Die Break Coins & Their Values: See What Different Types Of Die Break Coins Look Like (Including Die Cracks & Cud Error Coins)===
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| Surf Chart from Surfguru.com. |