Expert: PAPAJACK - 2/12/2009

Question
My husbands friend has a 1883  Indian Head Penny and it has the I and the T missing in the word United He was just wondering if it was worth anymore than a normal one.

Thanks for your help

Britney

Answer
Hello Britney,            

There is no premium associated with this defect, the coin would sell at the normal price of an 1883 Indian Head Cent for the grade you have.

This sounds like a FILLED DIE error, one of the most common and easiest to spot of all errors. It is usually caused by a filled die (when part of the recesses in the die get buildup or even clog with metal shavings and debris) design elements like letters or digits may be totally missing. Or a struck through error, if there is a heavy film of oil or grease the image on the coin cannot strike up fully since the oil cannot be compressed and let the metal flow properly.

This type of error is usually spotted when collectors find a coin that appears to be missing a Mint mark or some other design element. Most likely the coin was struck with something in the way or by an obstructed or filled die.
The small incused areas of dies (like the lettering or date) frequently fill with debris, including grease, dirt and other substances commonly found in all factories.

Generally, filled-die errors are relatively common and most are very minor; the missing details usually involve only a few numbers or letters missing from the coin's design. Coins that look as though the majority of a design is obstructed or missing are really the only kinds that can bring higher prices.

Ultimately, any value above the face value is determined by what a knowledgeable buyer and a knowledgeable seller can agree upon.

Error coin collecting is a separate field and there are no set price lists. If you want a dealer near you to look at it for free, write me back with your general location (nearest large cities), some telephone area code or codes for your local and some zip codes in your area, I can direct you to an AMERICAN NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION MEMBER/DEALER near there. They are ethical and trustworthy. They will look at the coin for free.

Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack