2 Cent with the Maklouf Portrait (1985-1991) Struck on 1 Cent Planchet

Scarce and usually spectacular is the wrong planchet error coin. These are one of the simplest error coin types to explain. Basically these are coins struck on planchets other than the type they were intended to be struck on. Perhaps it’s a planchet intended for another denomination, or another country’s coin altogether or even a token or something that’s not a coin at all. This would usually happen if the supply of coin blanks has been contaminated somehow. A wrong planchet error coin could be missing details (if it was struck on a smaller planchet), will be weakly struck (if it was struck on a thinner or harder planchet than intended), or perhaps show a large area that is not struck at all (if struck on a larger than intended planchet).

The coin above is an Australian 2 cent struck on an Australian 1 cent planchet. The 1 cent planchet is much smaller than the 2 cent so this coin is missing a lot of detail. This type of wrong planchet error is one of the more common, with the coin being struck on a smaller planchet belonging to the same currency but a different denomination. These types of error coins have been found in mint rolls in high grade as was the coin in the image.

Australian $2 (no date) Struck on Euro 10c Planchet PCGS MS63

The above coin is a much rarer type of wrong planchet error. In this case the coin has been struck on a planchet of a coin of an entirely different country and currency! In this case it is an Australian $2 struck on a 10 Euro Cent planchet. In this case the planchet was much thinner than the intended blank and the strike is very weak. The weight is consistent with that of the Euro 10 cent at 4.1 grams and a XRF analysis determined it to be of a different composition to the $2 it is struck on a nordic gold planchet (the same as a 10 Eurocent). In times gone by these sort of wrong planchet errors were very rare indeed, but mints around the world tend to source their coin blanks from third party companies in different countries. These third party companies may have contracts to supply blanks to many different countries and thus contamination can occur. One can only imagine that in earlier times, some of the more bizarre wrong planchet errors (such as US Kennedy half dollars struck on dime planchets) were deliberate ‘errors’ struck by mint staff.

Whilst decimal error coins are popular, pre-decimal wrong planchet errors in high grade are not commonly seen. In 1944 the San Francisco Mint was striking silver coins for Australia and it appears that a shilling planchet jumped into the hopper desperately wanting to be a florin. This example pictured below is choice uncirculated and graded by PCGS as MS63 and was likely found in a mint roll.

1944-S Florin Struck on a Shilling Planchet

Australia 1942I Half Penny Brockage

In a previous entry about brockages I discussed briefly how they were formed. I also mentioned that Australian pre-decimal brockage coins can be hard to come by. Fortunately I’ve been able to obtain an image of a nice example of a 1942I Half Penny brockage error coin.

You can see above that the obverse of the coin has been struck normally while the reverse has an incuse image of the obverse. This has happened because a previously struck coin has become stuck to the reverse die and while stuck there this die cap has actually struck the coin blanks rather than the reverse die striking them. Of course the die cap has a properly struck obverse and it is this obverse that has struck the coin above forming the incuse image. This coin is likely an early striking from the die cap as the incuse image is struck well (and in fact might be a better strike than the obverse).

Planchet or Lamination Flaw on a 1961y Half Penny

An interesting (but not particularly scarce) type of coin error is the lamination flaw or planchet flaw error. It is also sometimes known as a peel error. A lamination or planchet flaw or peel coin error occurs when there is some sort of impurity in the metal of the coin planchet just below the outside layer of the coin. This impurity stops all of the metal in the coin bonding together correctly. Because the layer of impurity in coin is just below the surface the thin layer of metal between it and the surface can become become either partially or totally detached from the rest of the coin.

I am not sure if there is an official distinction between a lamination (or planchet) flaw error and a peel error, but I like to define them as follows:

Lamination/Planchet Flaw Coin Error: I like to think of this error as one where the thin layer of on top of the impurity metal from the coin has not really detached from the coin. These errors appear to have very slight flaws or cracks in the surface of the coin that generally are quite long.

Peel Coin Error: I like to think of this error as one where the thin layer on top of the impurity metal from the coin has completely or totally detached from the surface of the coin. In the above image you can see a peel on the reverse of the coin that is almost completely detached from the coin.

On a closing note, the lamination flaw coin error or peel coin error is closely related to the split planchet coin error. Both are caused my impurities or flaws of the coin planchet and result in all or part of the metal of the planchet detaching from the rest of the planchet.

1960y Half Penny Ramstrike Error

Another type of out of collar coin error is the ‘ramstrike’ or ‘high lip’ coin error. This sort of error occurs when the planchet is partially off-centre or out of alignment when the coin striking process starts. As the hammer die moves down to strike the coin part of the planchet is retained against the top of the collar and the rest of the planchet is driven down into the collar against the anvil die. This results in the retained part of the planchet being stretched vertically giving an unusual high lip on part of the rim of the coin. Certainly for Australia pre-decimal coins, the ramstrike, or high lip error is not as common as the normal broadstrike, but when you can find one they are spectacular errors.

Ramstrike errors are often characterized by one side (usually the obverse) being heavily worn while the other side (which is protected by the high lip) is in much better condition. It’s also fairly common to see one side of these types of errors with a large scratch or mechanical damage. It’s postulated that this happens because the coin jams the coining press and has to be manually removed by a press operator using some sort of pointed tool that damages the coin. As always with any type of error, look to purchase these coins in the best condition available, and without the mechanical damage that so often plagues them.

1952 Florin Ramstrike Error

A Penny Clip

There are a few different types of clipped planchets which we have spoken about before. These are often called clips, edge bites or bitten edge coins. During the coin manufacturing process blanks are punched from a long metal strip. The curved clip coin error occurs when the coin blank is punched from the strip of metal before the hole from the previously punched blank has completely moved away. Another type of clipped planchet coin is the straight edge clip.

These occur when the coin blank is punched from the strip of metal right at the end of the strip or the edge of the strip.

This results in a bite taken from the coin with a largely straight edge. There are generally two types of this error, the so called ragged clip where end of the metal strip has not been cut cleanly and the edge bite has a ragged appearance. A regular straight clip shows a neat straight edge, most likely because the end of the metal strip has been cut and finished properly or the clip overlapped the edge of the strip of metal.

A genuine clipped coin may show all or some of the 3 identifying factors, read more in “How to Determine if a Clipped Planchet Error is Real”. Beware of faked coin clips, similar coins are easily made in the back shed and unwary buyers can be easily duped.

Impressive 1981 2c with Large Straight Clipped Planchet

1963 Florin Curved Clipped Planchet Error

A clipped planchet or edge bite error coin occurs when a coin is struck on an incomplete planchet. Coin blanks are punched out from strips of metal using a high-speed punch. Sometimes the strip isn’t pushed along far enough after the previous blank was punched and this results in a planchet that isn’t fully rounded. The resulting planchet has been punched out of the strip where the previous blank was cut, thus leaving a ‘bite’ out of the blank. The resulting coin after it has been through the minting press has a curved clip on the side of the coin. Another clipped coin is a straight clip which I will discuss in a future article.

To distinguish between a genuine clip and a man-made version you need to look at the opposing edge of the coin. In genuine edge bites there is a weakness in the rim and on the opposing side of the coin – this is termed the ‘Blakesley effect’ after an American numismatist who first described it. The weakness results from the rim opposite the clip not being formed fully when it is put through the rimming machine. The Blakesley effect is not apparent on clips of the Australian 50c coin because the rims are formed during the striking process and not in a separate operation. Another possible indicator of a genuine curved clip is fishtailing of the lettering of the legends around the area of the clip. There’s a comprehensive guide to determining if a clipped planchet error is real or not that you can read here.

Australia 5c 1981 Double Clipped Planchet Error

Australian 1979 10c Clamshell Split Planchet

In Part 1 of the Split Planchet Coin Errors series of articles brief mention was made of the so called ‘clamshell’ partially split planchet. This sort of coin error, seen here, happens when there is a weakness in the metal of the planchet and the coin fractures along the weakness. In the case of the ‘clamshell’, the weakness may not run through the entire planchet resulting in a partially separated coin split parallel to the faces of the coin. Typically the side that is split is opened up slightly giving the characteristic clamshell appearance. This type of error is also called a hinged split blank or planchet.

If you peer inside the opening, and you can see clearly on the 10c imaged above, you can see the parallel striations in the metal that indicate its authenticity as a split coin and hasn’t been sliced open in the back shed.

Some collectors of this sort of error may try to encourage the coin to separate completely through mechanical means or perhaps by repeatedly subjecting the coin to freezing temperatures. When the coin does split completely the result is the more typical sort of split planchet error seen in the first part of this series of articles.

1966 20 cent Clamshell Error

Australian 5 Cent Coin Split Planchet

In the previous entry about Split Planchet Errors I mentioned that there were 2 main types of split planchet error coins. Those where the planchet split those coins that were struck and then the coin split. Shown here are examples of the planchet splitting before coin was struck. The thin underweight planchet then being fed into the press resulting in a weak incomplete strike. The metal striations you can see on the reverse of these 5 cent errors are the inside split face of the planchet. The strike on the coin above is so weak that the date is not fully visible and each coin is underweight approximately half the weight of a regular 5 cent piece.

Fiji 1969 5 Cent Error

Australian 1981 50 cent Split Planchet Mated Pair -this coin split after it was struck.

A split planchet coin error occurs when there is a weakness or lamination defect in the metal blank. During the preparation of the planchet strip foreign materials such as gas, dirt or grease may become trapped below the metal surface. This area of the metal will be weaker and may flake, peel or split because the adhesion is poor where the foreign material is. With the example of a split planchet error the blank may split partially or wholly in 2.

The above example is an Australian 50 cent coin error from 1981. It has split completely in half parallel to the faces of the coin and each side weighs roughly half of a normal coin weight. Each piece fits neatly together just like a puzzle and their combined weight is exactly that of a standard 50 cent piece. You can see parallel striations are present on the inner surfaces where the metal has split. This split has occurred after the striking of the coin.

Split planchet coins are more commonly found as just the one side with the matching other side of the coin out in circulation or a collection somewhere. A split planchet will be worth considerably more if the 2 mated coins called a mated pair are sold or kept together. The split planchet is more commonly seen on copper-nickel Australian decimal coins. It’s rarely seen on copper 1 cent and 2 cent or aluminium bronze dollar or $2 coins although these do exist. Pre-decimal split planchet coins are much much harder to find.

If the split were to happen prior to the coin being struck it would result in a weakly struck or blank portion of the coin surface. And of course the coin would be severely underweight. A coin in the process of splitting in 2 may have a clam-like appearance with one edge open like a hinge.