My Coin Roll Hunting Adventure: Surprises in the Hoard
June 7, 2025My Journey with the 1982 Cent Small Date: Weights, Rarity, and Collector Wisdom
June 7, 2025I was going through my dime collection the other day when something strange caught my eye on a 2020 P dime – these odd, wart-like bumps on Roosevelt’s nose! My first thought? “Is that a booger or a tiny bullet?” Naturally, I had to figure out what was going on and what it meant for us collectors.
Identifying the Error: Die Breaks or Something Else?
Grabbing my loupe for a closer look, it became clear this wasn’t just a random flaw. What I first suspected might be a small die chip turned out to be more likely an interior die break (IDB). Here’s how I learned to tell the difference:
- Die Chips: Tiny pieces break off the die, leaving small raised marks on the coin. They’re easy to confuse with dirt or debris stuck on the surface.
- Interior Die Breaks (IDB): This is a better fit for what I saw – a larger void or crack inside the die itself. When the coin is struck, metal flows into that gap, creating a more prominent feature like the “nose wart”.
- Cuds: These are die breaks specifically along the very edge of the coin, which wasn’t the case here, but they’re another error type to watch for.
Getting the terms right matters, especially for grading and value. I always double-check resources like Error-ref.com to make sure I’m on the right track.
Practical Tips for Spotting and Verifying Errors
Here’s how I go about checking for errors like this one. Good lighting and a loupe are essential, especially for high-wear spots like the face or date. For this 2020 P dime, zeroing in on the nose revealed:
- Photos help a lot: I used some simple filter tricks in a design app to boost contrast, making the details pop without changing the coin itself. This helped confirm it wasn’t damage after it left the mint.
- Compare coins: Looking at other dimes, I noticed similar features might pop up on different dates, suggesting possible die problems affecting multiple coins.
- Watch for mint damage: I wondered about a planchet spin after striking, but the rest of the coin looked clean, ruling that out.
If you spot something unusual, take clear pictures first. Then, check online forums or databases before deciding what it is – saves a lot of hassle!
Grading and Collecting Insights
Errors like IDBs can be a neat niche, sometimes adding a bit of extra value if they’re unusual. From what I’ve seen:
- Small IDBs might not add much value unless they’re really dramatic or on a key date, but they definitely make for an interesting find.
- When grading, size and location matter – larger breaks in the middle of the design, like this nose feature, tend to grab more attention from error collectors.
- Look for patterns: If several 2020 P dimes show this same feature, it could point to a specific die variety worth noting.
This whole experience reminded me why I love coin collecting. You never know what little surprise you might find on a seemingly ordinary piece!