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Building an Error Coin Collection Part #4

Posted by JonSullivan on Jul 21st 2015

In the previous blog post we discussed building an error collection based on a single coin series. In this installment we are moving on to the method of collecting I will call “what catches my eye.” These collectors build there collections based on what looks neat, dramatic, or just interesting to them. It has no real method to it other than that the owner finds the coin pleasing. Often times, this kind of collection will have a lot of very dramatic and eye-catching errors, or it may just have a lot of rare, expensive errors in it. The objective of the set is to get eye-catching, dramatic and desirable error coins.

To build this collection, you should consider your budget, and decide what you want to spend per coin. If your budget is $500 a coin, that will build a very nice collection with some more rare errors in the set. If your budget is $50 per coin, you can still have a very nice collection, but it will be filled with common errors. Now go and browse error dealer’s inventories and get a feel for what you’d be able to buy and if you want to specialize your collection in some way. For example, you may wish to buy wild multi-strike errors, or perhaps you’ll want to buy bonded errors. Whatever you wish to do is totally up to you, but you should collect in a way that makes you excited to think of adding that “next coin” to your collection.

Some of the most eye-catching errors include the coin types below. Click on the links provided to see examples of those error types in our inventory.

bonded coins

off-center strikes

double-strikes

off-metals

double-denominations

coins struck feeder fingers

coin's struck on nails

There are many more, but those are some of the most popular in terms of being dramatic. Because coins in these error categories are usually very eye-catching, they also are easier to resell when the time comes to sell your collection.

Above: This is a Lincoln cent struck on a steel washer. The coin is extremely 
dramatic, and is the kind of coin for a "eye-catching" collection.

Above: this is an off-center standing liberty quarter. A rare series for error coin
and an error like this is considered extremely dramatic for the SLQ series.

Above: this is a relatively inexpensive (about $275) off-metal. Nickels on cents

look dramatic, and are a very popular error type with collectors who want 
"eye-catching" errors for their collections.