Die Adjustment Strikes Par for the Course
By Brad Hall
Sometimes the mint can not help but to make a few error coins in the process of minting. After all, the workers are all human and humans are prone to mistakes. Die adjustment strikes are a fine example of an error that is really beyond the control of the mint and the people working therein. In order for the coins to be minted to the exact specifications there are several adjustments that need to be made to the machinery. The first few coins through the machine not be correct and thus they are an error coin.
Die adjustment strikes are one of the more common errors that come out of the mint but some of the more dramatic examples can command a very nice price. Of all the die adjustment strikes the misaligned die is the most common but can also be the most sought after.
US coins are struck front and back and the exact same time. This means that the two dies need to be lined up perfectly to make sure the coin looks correct. Often times when new dies are put in the alignment is not correct, producing a coin that is not perfectly lined up.
Misaligned die strikes are many times incorrectly slated as off center error coins. There is a major difference between these two types of errors though. An off center coin is one that failed to fall into the retaining collar all the way and thus was struck off center with both sides being the same. Under the die adjust strikes with misaligned dies the coin is struck incorrectly on ONE side only. So the coin appears to be off center but when you flip it over you see that it is perfect or nearly so on the other side.
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Die adjustment strikes value is determined by how dramatic the error is. If the coin is visibly misshapen and out of place then it is worth far more than one that needs to be really studied to see the error.
You should not be fooled by coins that are billed as die adjustment strikes and can barely be seen by the naked eye. The mint considers this to be nothing more than the normal operations of the machines and nothing to be worried about. These coins have little or no value at all and should be avoided from a collecting stand point. Go for the most dramatic forms of dies adjustment strikes and you will get the best value and rarity.
About the Author
Brad Hall is the editor of http://us-mint-coins.blogspot.com the number one resource for US mint error coin information anywhere on the web.
