Double-Strikes
Posted by Jon Sullivan on Nov 25th 2024
Mint Errors: Double-Strikes
A double-strike is a mint error that occurs when a planchet is fed into the striking chamber, and is struck. Normally, it would be ejected by the feeder finger from between the dies, but for "whatever" reason, fails to do so, and is struck again.
Double-strikes can be "on-center", off-center, or be multiple strikes on or off-center--there is a wide array of variations of double-strikes.
They are a very popular error type, due to how dramatic they are in appearance, and are also affordable enough and common enough to be found on virtually all coin series. Most are available for $50-$500, with only the scarcer series or very dramatic examples broaching the $1000 price level.
They can be collected by date and denomination for most of the modern circulating coin series, although on older issues (pre-1964), they are unknown for some years and mints, and collecting them is better suited for "one of each design/denomination" or one of each double-struck type for a particular coin design.