Double die errors occur when the coin's design is struck twice, slightly misaligned, creating a doubled appearance. These errors can significantly increase the coin's value, especially in state quarters, where they are particularly sought after by collectors.
Off-center strike errors happen when the coin is not properly aligned during minting, resulting in an incomplete or shifted design. The more off-center the strike, the rarer and more valuable the coin becomes, with some fetching hundreds or even thousands of dollars.
State quarters are usually made with a copper core and a cladding of nickel. However, some quarters were struck without the outer clad layer, revealing a copper-colored surface. These errors are rare and can add considerable value to the coin.
Clipped planchet errors occur when a coin is struck on a planchet (blank coin) that is incomplete, usually due to a piece being cut off during the minting process. These errors are visually striking and can make a state quarter much more valuable.
Over time, the dies used in minting coins can develop cracks or break entirely, leading to die crack errors or cuds (raised, unstruck areas on the coin). These imperfections are rare and often increase the desirability and value of the affected state quarters.
A wrong planchet error occurs when a coin is struck on a planchet intended for a different denomination or coin. For example, a state quarter struck on a nickel or penny planchet is extremely rare and can be worth a significant amount of money.
1. Double-struck errors happen when a coin is struck more than once in the minting press. The resulting overlapping designs can vary in appearance, with more dramatic errors being highly valuable to collectors who prize these unique variations.