Some amazing errors have been up on the auction block on Ebay recently. A rare 2005 Cent error was sold for Mid-high 4 figures (Thousands). This coin (2005 Cent) had a Dime “bowtie” shaped piece of chopped dime planchet strip webbing struck into the reverse of it. A truly amazing error that has never been seen before.. After planchets are punched out of long metal strips, these used strips of metal are chopped up into tiny “Bowtie” shaped pieces of scrap that will be eventually melted down. In the past & on rare occasions, one of these “bowtie” shaped pieces of scrap enter the coining chambers and are struck by dies.. These errors are extremely rare, especially with a full date as there is so little room on this small piece of scrap.

   While always extremely hard to locate, what few “bowtie” errors that are in the hobby, now are buried in better error collections. New examples that do surface, are far & few from year to year. No one I know has seen any since the 1990’s? Now for this amazing error to surface and was found by a Non-error collector on the East Coast in a bank roll of 2005 cents (I interviewed the collector). The person discovering the coin was simply thrilled by all the bidders (46 bids) and excitement over his discovery. Since the Mints installed new coining presses and security equipment, only a handful of errors have surfaced since “2003”. Those that do, draw a large crowd of interested buyers and as in the 2005 above error, set auction record prices.

   Naturally as far as Bowtie errors are concerned, Cents are the most common, Nickels are tougher, Dimes are one of the toughest to locate, Quarters, Halves & Dollars are almost non-existant.. Dated examples are extremely rare, eagerly sought after by collectors & dealers alike.

   Some other similar errors that almost as hard to locate are:

   Struck pieces of scrap, pieces that are at least 50% the size of the designate coin. MOST importantly are “die” struck on BOTH sides. Many errors that are scrap like in shape and only struck on 1 side. are actually lamination errors. Lamination errors can be pieces of PEELED off layers of a coin, these are NOTstruck Scrap. Struck scrap can come in a variety of shapes, weights, different metals, off metals. But 95% of them are Die struck on Both sides, a few may be struck on top of another planchet or coin. These will have a Different shaped brockage or design from what is struck on the other struck side. It may also have smooth unstruck surface, but will NOT have lamination striations and in most cases will not be “paper” thin.. NOT SURE???? Then buy it Certified by PCGS or NGC…

   As we started off this newsletter, 2005 errors are extremely HOT.. Coins like this 2005 Buffalo nickel with a straight clip. You know these will be popular among collectors for generations yet to come!

   A 2005 Double Denomination graded NGC MS 68 sold after some serious bidding for well over $3,000 that's nearly 3 times what other Double denominations are currently selling for.

    This 2005 Mississippi Double struck Quarter sold for nearly $2,700., this certifies the rarity of modern day errors since 2002, especially from the Philadelphia Mint, and most of all how Strong this error coin market is!

   till next month

- Rich