Description

1920 1c struck on wrong planchet (Argentina 10c planchet)

• Up for sale is a 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet. This 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet was struck on a 10c Roosevelt dime planchet.
• This is a major mint error. This 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet are a favorite amongst error coin collectors.
• This 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet is certified by NGC and given a grade of AU details (cleaned).
• Please see the two photographs for the condition of this 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet.

1920 1c struck on wrong planchet (Argentina 10c planchet)

• The good news is, the attribution process for this 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet (Argentina 10c planchet) was relatively easy.
• The weight of this coin is within tolerance of the Argentina 1c planchet. So, there is a very high probability this is a 1920 1c struck on wrong planchet.
• The US Mint coin specifications can be found on on this website:  https://www.usmint.gov/learn/coin-and-medal-programs/coin-specifications
• IF this coin were struck on another US type planchet or a foreign planchet, the weight of the coin may have been dramatically different.

How are struck on wrong planchet coins made?

In order to have a slim chance in finding one of these coins in circulation or in a mint roll or bag you should take the time to know a few ways that this struck on wrong planchet coin can be made. Here are some possibilities:

• In order for struck on wrong planchets to occur, a planchet(s) not intended for a particular denomination need to be struck by the wrong set of dies.
• The struck on wrong planchet coin has a higher chance at success if the wrong planchet is close to the same size (mm wise) in order for this wrong planchet to make it down the coin minting path and be placed onto the anvil working die and struck by the incorrect hammer die.

How does the wrong planchet enter the wrong set of working dies?

• Remember this coin was struck in 1920. Going back in time, the US Mint pack then created their own planchets. Once these planchets were cut out, they were probably transported from the planchet creation area towards the minting presses in a large bin of some sort.
• These bins were dumped in a pit like area that was rectangular shaped. I believe it had a side door which opened and the planchets (blank coins) were fed onto a conveyor belt and eventually found their way from being warmed up, to having a rim placed upon it (becoming a Type II planchet) and eventually being introduced to the minting press.
• The US mint has a limited amount of minting presses and typically each “area” strikes a different coin denomination, but bins and holding areas have multiple uses.

How struck on wrong planchets become reality

• It is really simple in most situations. If you carefully read the bulleted text above, you have a generic understanding how a “normal” coin is struck.
• A struck on wrong planchet coin are wrong planchets that are either sent in bulk to the wrong minting machines OR, when the workers dump the bin into the hopper they do not ensure the bin is 100% empty.
• After a bin has been dumped, in the bottom of the bin there may be a single or multiple planchets laying at the bottom of the bin. Once the bin has been dumped, they are probably stored off to the side waiting to be used once again. When these generic used bins are used again for another purpose, like being filled up with planchets of another size, the wrong planchets are mixed in with other planchets.
• This bin now filled up with a mix of planchet types and or sizes is then sent on its way to the minting process once again.
• These incorrect planchets that were at the bottom of the bin may be dumped into another area and the coins are struck by the incorrect dies.
• If these struck on wrong planchet error coins can escape the Quality Assurance tests that the US Mint had set up to catch error coins, then the struck on wrong planchet coins enter the bagging area and may eventually leave the US Mint.

Not a big fan of struck on wrong planchet major error coins?  Take a look at our major mint error coins called Die Caps: Die Cap Major Mint Error Coins (minterrors.org)

Looking for “normal” coins? Please see Shop – US Coins, Silver Bullion and Numismatic products and services – TheCoinStore.org