2017-04-26 Wed

An 1814 half dollar error coin, graded Extremely Fine 45, struck 5 percent off centre and struck at least three times was sold for $4,465 at an auction in Dallas in April.

An open collar or a third die was used to hold the planchet while it is being struck by the other dies. This third die helps in placing the planchet in the press correctly and restricting outward metal flow while striking. A close collar which replaced the open collars in the mid-1830s restricted metal flow for maintaining a standard diameter.

Flattened and fainter crescent of dentils intersects the top of Liberty’s head on the obverse which shows the coin was struck multiple times.