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Coin and Paper Money Collecting/1949 5-P coin and 1919 50c CAD

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Expert: - 2/12/2010


Question

5 P and 50c
Hi  -  again (sorry).  On the 5 New Pence, there is a lump on the bridge of the nose, and a 'double-chin'.  Do you think these are mint damages?  If so, does is add to or detract from value, if any.  On the 1919 coin, there is no compression or bulkiness along the flat edge, and there is faint evidence of reeding on the flat edge.  Could this be a mint defect and if so, is there any value here?

Answer
Hi again Heather,
No need to apologize. =)
On the 5 pence coin it sounds like a combination of two fairly common types of errors. The lump on the nose is likely due to a die chip. After repeated use the edges around finer details begin to crack and chip away. Since the die is a negative (incuse) image, the chips appear as lumps on the surface. The double chin is most likely due to mechanical doubling, where a coin shifts very slightly during a strike. This shows up as an even, flat "shelf" along the doubled area. Value on this would not be very significant, perhaps $5. Still not bad considering the base value of a 5 pence.
The 1919 coins certainly looks to have been struck on a planchet with a straight clip. Sometimes you may see a curved clip, which is typically caused by the striking process and will not have the normal edge characteristics in the clipped area like your coin does. Again, it's not a rare type of error, but more scarce than a die chip or mechanical doubling. The value that such an error adds to a coin really depends on the rarity and condition of that coin. In this case you have a coin worth around $10 based on the reverse picture. With the error it's worth somewhere between $15 and $25 at auction and at least $30 in a retail shop.
Please don't forget to rate my answers.
Thanks again! =)

Dmitry Livshits

Expertise

My specialty is world coins from the 18th to 20th centuries, primarily non-US foreign coins and related areas such as errors and exonumia (tokens, medals, etc.). I can answer questions relating to identification, grading, selling, preservation and evaluation of such items. In addition to catalog value, I can give you the practical market value and trends for specific types of coins. I will also take questions regarding counterfeits (both modern and antique) and on how to identify them. I am NOT knowledgeable in paper money/banknotes, ancient or "shipwreck" coins. Thank you.

Experience

Collector of world coins since early childhood. Access to a variety of auction records and reference material. You can also find me on Facebook.

Education/Credentials
A.S. in Psychology (2006), B.A. in Forensic Psychology (2008), M.A. in Forensic Psychology (2011).

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