Without a doubt, one of the most popular errors collected today is a class known as the "Wrong Planchet" or "Wrong Metal" errors. The "wrong planchet" error frequently occurs when a tote bin fails to be emptied all the way and a planchet remains stuck in a corner or in the groove of a tote bin door. If the bin is then used to transport planchets for a larger diameter blank or planchet, the wayward blanks, still retained in the bin may be transported to a coining operation of another denomination and struck with that denomination's mark.
Depending on the orientation of the planchet within the dies and the size differential between the two denominations involved, some examples of this class can display a full or partial date while others may exhibit a no date at all.
Our undated Denver Mint silver Washington quarter illustrated here is a perfect example of this class of error, sans the date due to the placement of the planchet within the dies. Collectors prefer well-centered, fully-dated examples of this error type when possible, but even those without dates on obsolete design types (or in this case -- on an obsolete silver planchet) are
highly desirable because they're most oft collected by type rather than by date.
Another consideration important to collectors of "wrong planchet" errors is the strength of the strike. Because this error type frequently involves a planchet thinner than what is intended for the dies striking it, the result is often a weak strike especially when involving planchet denominations much thinner than the dies striking it. Our Washington quarter struck on a dime blank is very well struck for the combination, but is most often found softly struck. This combination is far less available as a full strike on clad issues since the planchets are much harder than silver.
Our 1971 Canadian cent (photo from Mark Longas) is struck on a pure nickel ten-cent planchet and shows the weakness of strike typical to a "wrong planchet" error struck with a pair of dies set to strike a larger diameter planchet made up of a softer alloy. This coin is also a "wrong metal" type because not only is it a wrong planchet but it's also of the wrong metal. If this error was struck during the era of silver coinage production - it would be referred to as a "silver cent".
It should be noted that under normal conditions (without some "help" from inside), it's only possible for a wrong planchet error to occur when the unintended planchet falling within the dies is of a smaller diameter (or of the same diameter) as that of the dies currently set and striking coins at the press they are delivered to. A five-cent blank will not fit within the striking chamber of one-cent dies. Of course a higher denomination blank may be struck by a smaller denomination dies as long as the diameter of the blank is smaller. As such Susan B. Anthony dollar planchets are known struck by Kennedy half dollar dies.
About the Author
Ken Potter is the official attributor and lister of world doubled dies for the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America and for the National Collector's Association of Die Doubling. He privately lists U.S. doubled dies and other collectable variety types on both U.S. and world coins in the Variety Coin Register. For more information on either of these clubs, or to learn how to get a variety listed in the Variety Coin Register, send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope and $0.52 U.S. postage (or $0.75 Canadian) to Ken Potter, P.O. Box 760232, Lathrup Village, MI 48076-0232. Contact Ken via e-mail to: Kpotter256@aol.com, or visit his Educational Image Gallery located at: http://www.uscents.com/potter/
Ken Potter is the official attributor and lister of world doubled dies for the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America and for the National Collector's Association of Die Doubling. He privately lists U.S. doubled dies and other collectable variety types on both U.S. and world coins in the Variety Coin Register. For more information on either of these clubs, or to learn how to get a variety listed in the Variety Coin Register, send a self-addressed, stamped business-size envelope and $0.52 U.S. postage (or $0.75 Canadian) to Ken Potter, P.O. Box 760232, Lathrup Village, MI 48076-0232. Contact Ken via e-mail to: Kpotter256@aol.com, or visit his Educational Image Gallery located at: http://www.uscents.com/potter/.
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