When is a coin “Broadstruck and when is it Off Center?

Broadstruck coins have caught the interest of collectors only in the last five or six years, while the true error collector has enjoyed them for many years. There are many sub varieties, today we will just talk about broadstruck coins in general.

Broadstruck coins are struck without a collar to form the rim of the coin. This can cause some very unusual looking errors. The collar is the third die in the striking processing. It is the collar that puts the lettering on the edge of the coin or on todays coins, the reeding. The collar floats freely around the planchet on springs. On small denomination coins, the collar is in two pieces and larger denominations, the collar is in four pieces. This allows the pressure from the strike to push the metal into the collar, forming the rim. The lower die moves upward to eject the coin out of the collar after being struck by the dies. This up and down movement allows debris to fall under the collar and does not allow free movement of all or part of the collar die.

This is one of my favorite off center coins. An off center Morgan Dollar. Very rare and can be very pricey. Off center coins are the best known error coin. People can instantly see the eye appealing effects of the error.

This occurs when the planchet falls part way on the lower die and part way off the die. Since this is a random error, no two off center coins are ever exactly alike and can be collected in numerous different ways.

Experts in the error hobby disagree on many subjects, but they all agree on when a broadstruck coin becomes an off center coin. They all agree that boardstruck and off center coins come from the same mother but have different fathers. In other words, they are the same put different.

Now you think I have lost my mind, well maybe I have, but there is a fine line as to when a broadstruck coin becomes an off center coin.

At a recent show, a collector was trying to sell me the coin shown on the left. He said it was an off center Indian cent. I was trying to explain to the collector why the coin was not off center but broadstruck. Look closely at the numbers in the date. The complete horizontal bar of the 1 is showing and the complete horizontal bar of the 2 is showing. None of the design element is missing.

Here is an example of a broadstruck coin born to be off center. Look carefully at the letters in “States Of America”. Parts of the letters at the bottom are missing, so the coin can not be broadstruck, it is off center.

If you want to hear some lively discussions between collectors, go to a CONECA meeting at a national show. There are as many different ideas on error coins as there are error coins. But bring up broadstruck and off center, and it is like a church tea party, quiet and boring.

No disagreement from anyone. If any part, even the smallest part of the design element is missing, the coin is off center......period.

The S.B.A. dollar below is a real treat, one of a kind coin. A million to one odds of 85% Off Center with a full date and NGC MS 66.