What You Need To Know About the Incomplete Planchet Error

[physics-fan3.14]

What You Need to Know About the Incomplete Planchet Error

Or, Who took a bite outta my coin?

 

By Jason Poe

 

The world of error coins is often viewed as a strange niche, populated by people who like the weird coins, the messed up coins, the ugly coins. These coins are the red-headed stepchild of the minting process, so to speak – what happened when something went wrong. To an error collector, the more wrong it is, the cooler it is. Multiple errors are even more desirable, and it’s often a fun puzzle to try and figure out what exactly went wrong. Studying what went wrong can often tell us much more about the minting process than the beauty of what went right.

 

I’ve laid this discussion out in three main sections – creation, authentication and appearance, and collecting clips. I’m going to try and make this discussion as thorough as possible, so go grab a nice glass of tea, sit back, and enjoy the ride!

 

(An attractively toned 1956 incomplete planchet Franklin)

 

One of the simpler errors, and one of the easier to understand, is known technically as the “incomplete planchet error,” although it is almost universally known by its more common name of “clip.” Purists are rankled by this misuse of terminology, insisting that clipping should only refer to the nefarious process in old times of shaving a slight amount of precious metal off the edges of coins. Reeding was added to the edges of coins to prevent and readily identify clipping.

 

The clipping that we shall be concerned with today is a very different occurrence – and happens during the minting process. Error collectors divide errors into three broad categories: planchet errors, die errors, and strike errors. The incomplete planchet error, as can be guessed, is a type of planchet error. The actual error occurs when the blanks are being punched from the metal strip, near the beginning of the process. Sometimes, these errors can be quite dramatic, with a large percentage of the planchet missing. More often, only a small percentage is “clipped.”

 

As the metal strip is being fed into the blanking machine, a punch and cutter cut circular blanks out of the strip. After each punch, the strip is fed an incremental amount further into the machine. A normal strip, after blanking operations, looks like the strip on the left. However, sometimes the strip slips or gets stuck, and doesn’t move the full increment. For example, if the strip is fed at the wrong speed, the strip will not move far enough between punches. If this happens, the punch will then overlap the previously punched hole – and the resulting planchet will be incomplete. It will have a crescent missing with exactly the diameter of the punch (this detail will be important later).

 

In the illustration below, there are a number of different kinds of clips illustrated, which we shall discuss next. This hypothetical strip of metal was fed into the blanking press, but it got stuck and shifted about halfway through, resulting in all these errors. The white circles represent whole, complete blanks; the dark grey circles are the incomplete planchets. Imagine that the punches started at the left, and worked to the right.

 

(Hypothetical metal strip, showing different kinds of incomplete planchet errors)

 

Besides the curved clip, there are a few other types of incomplete planchet errors which can occur, although all are generally lumped together and called “clips.” The above type, where the punches overlap each other, is widely known as a “curved clip,” and is by far the most common type of clip. The other two types are less common, and will thus usually garner a premium. The second type is when the metal strip is not aligned properly in the blanking press, and a punch overhangs the edge of the strip. The punch will create a blank with a “straight clip” at the edge. The third type of clip is known as a “ragged edge clip,” and is similar to the straight clip, but it happens at either end of the strip of metal where the strip is irregular and jagged. The 1963 Franklin clip below was labeled by ANACS as a straight clip, but I believe it to be the less common ragged clip, due to the irregular edge. A straight clip is, quite literally, very straight (with exceptions which shall be discussed below).

 

(1963 ragged edge clip Franklin)

 

(Close-ups of the ragged edge clip)

 

Sometimes, the strip is improperly placed such that there is more than one “clip.” Just about any combination of clips you can imagine can occur: double curved clips, curved clip with straight edge clip, or even a corner clip which occurs when the blank is punched from the corner of the strip – and is quite rare. The more clips there are, the rarer the coin is, and if there are different kinds of clips the coin is obviously even more desirable to error collectors. I only own one multiple clipped coin, the 1963D Franklin pictured below. The second clip is rather minor, but still cool!

 

(Close-up of double clipped 1963D Franklin)

 

Between blanking and striking several steps occur, which may include (based on the metal, era, mint, and intended product) annealing, washing, polishing, and rimming. It is this last which is of interest in the incomplete planchet error. Rimming a blank helps smooth the surfaces of nicks and grooves, evenly distributes the metal for a proper strike, and creates the upset edge around the outside face of the coin, which is useful for a number of reasons. (Note that in precise terms, the metal disk is known as a blank before rimming, and it becomes a planchet after rimming.) To rim a blank, the blank is fed into the upset mill which contains a specially shaped groove. Placing pressure on both sides of the coin pushes and raises the rims – the same idea is used to “spoon” a coin. However, on an incomplete planchet, the coin is not round. Pressure cannot be properly applied at the missing area – which means the rim directly opposite is also not formed properly. This is known as the “Blakesley Effect,” named after the numismatist who first studied the phenomenon. After upsetting, the planchet travels to the coining room and is struck.

 

(Picture of an old upset mill, taken from the Dictionnaire encyclopédique Trousset, also known as the Trousset encyclopedia, Paris, 1886 – 1891, found on oldbookillustrations.com)

 

 

Incomplete planchet errors, like all coins with some value, are often faked and counterfeited. It is probably the most commonly counterfeited error, because it is the easiest to approximate and one of the most recognizable. The most common method of forging a clip is to simply take a punch from a tool and die shop and cut out a curved crescent from the coin. A straight clip is faked by taking a file and grinding off a portion of the edge of the coin. However, the clip is very difficult to properly counterfeit, and there are several tools in the numismatist’s arsenal which will help prove whether or not it is genuine. These characteristics are difficult to forge.

 

The first and easiest is the Blakesley effect. The Blakesley effect is a sure sign that the clip you are examining is genuine, but not all clips possess them. A very strong strike will sometimes raise the rim and hide the effect. The size of the clip does not matter in producing the Blakesley effect – even very minor clips display the effect. I have a 1954S with a minute clip, but which still exhibits the characteristic weakness of the rim opposite.

 

I have displayed two coins below: one showing the Blakesley effect very well, the other not showing it. The first, a 1963D circulated Franklin with a nice clip, shows a very strong Blakesley effect directly opposite the clip. Notice the weakness in TY of “Liberty” (on the obverse) and LLAR of “Dollar” (on the reverse) and how the rim gradually fades out. This gradual fading is key to the Blakesley effect – it will not be an abrupt transition. I have not yet seen a fake incomplete planchet error with a convincing attempt at the Blakesley effect (indeed, I’ve only seen one fake where it was even attempted). The second coin shown below is a very attractively toned 1963 clipped Franklin which does not show the Blakesley effect. Remember, a strong strike can counteract the weakness of the rims, especially when the clip is smaller.

 

(A nicely clipped 1963D Franklin showing the Blakesley effect. This is the same coin shown in close-up above, highlighting the double clip.)

(A well struck, and nicely toned, 1963 clipped Franklin which does not show the Blakesley effect)

 

The next characteristic of the clip is often hard to see if the coin is slabbed. The action of the punch and cutter punching blanks from the strips creates a characteristic shearing effect on the edge of the coin. The edge of the clip will not be smooth, it will be sheared. The EdgeView holder has the advantage of being able to view the edge, but getting the appropriate angle for accurate view of this might be difficult. This also only applies to curved clips, of course. The sheared edge is the easiest aspect of a clip to properly fake – because the same shearing action is used to cut the coin when making a fake.

 

(The sheared edge of a genuine clip)

 

Note that a curved clip will always begin life with the exact same diameter as the coin the clip is on. This only makes sense, because the missing area is from the same punch as the coin itself. Variations will occur due to metal flow during striking, but the approximate size will remain. If you see a curved clip on a Kennedy with the diameter of a Lincoln, you know it is a fake. If you see a Lincoln with a clip with the apparent diameter of a Kennedy, it is probably also a fake – but it might be a straight clip with metal flow. This is when you must examine the striking characteristics and evidence of metal flow.

 

The metal flow around a clip is distinct and unmistakable. There are three primary things to look for on a clip – the dovetailing of the rims, distortion of the elements, and metal flow towards the clip.

 

Because a clip represents an area of missing metal on a planchet, when the coin is struck the metal will flow to fill the missing area. This is why very small clips will appear like none of the coin is missing. Weighing the coin will show a slight amount gone, and an examination of the rims will show the dovetailing which is always present. Notice in the close-ups which follow how the rims always taper off towards the clip. This distinct look is characteristic of a genuine clip, and only by examining several incomplete planchets can you get a feel for how it is supposed to look.

 

(Close-up of the clipped area of the 1963D Franklin, showing the tapered rims to great effect)

 

The incomplete planchet will cause elements near the clip to become distorted as the metal flows towards the missing area. Again, the elements will seem to fade out towards the clip, in a distinct and characteristic fashion. Again, looking at several genuine examples will serve to illustrate and teach much better than any description I can provide.

 

(The now oft-shown 1963D makes another appearance. This time, note how “GOD” appears stretch and seems to disappear into the clip)

 

(A nicely toned 1958 with a decent clip, with close-up underneath)

 

As metal flows towards the clip, you will often see strong flow lines in the area. Straight clips, depending on their size and the size of the coin, will sometimes appear bulged outwards because of this flow.

 

(Close-up of the 1958, showing strong flowlines around “OF”)

 

Clips are popular errors to collect. The larger clips can often be quite dramatic, and multiple clips produce interesting coins. Incomplete planchets are measured in two ways, either by their weight or the percentage of incompleteness. For example, the main clip on the 1963D which I have shown several times now has diameter of 29.89 mm (compared to the standard size of a Franklin of 30.6 mm.) This equates to about a 3% clip. My 1958 clip is about 4%. When the clip is above 15% the premium increases significantly. The premiums for straight and ragged clips are higher, and multiple clips are even more desirable.

 

When talking about clips, it’s important to effectively communicate the position of the clip. For this, error collectors use the Kolit position, universally abbreviated as “k.” The Kolit position refers to the clock location – the bottom would be k6. For example, my 1958 above would properly be described as a “4% incomplete planchet at k5.” You may also see it described as a “small clip at k5.”

 

There are several popular ways to collect clips, and they are generally much the same way off center errors are collected. The first is to try and get a coin with a clip at each position of the clock – 12 coins in all. Other collectors try and get a clip from each date (or date and mintmark combo) of a coin series. I know franklinlvr is attempting to do this with the Franklin halves. Still other collectors like to try and get a series of clips of increasing magnitude. Their display would start with a full, regular coin, and then each successive coin has a more severe clip, usually in intervals of 5-10%.

 

Incomplete planchets are rarer on large coins than on smaller ones, and will command a premium. Incomplete planchets are also much rarer on silver coins. Finding significant incomplete planchet errors on coins like Franklins, Morgans, or Barbers is possible but difficult. Indian head cents will be the easiest and most affordable 19th century type for clips. Incomplete planchets are incredibly scarce on earlier coinage such as Seated Liberty and Capped Bust type. By far the most common incomplete planchets are on modern coinage, and can be obtained for less than $10 depending on the type, and magnitude, of the clip. Just for reference, the Franklins shown in this thread are all valued between $35 and $65. Earlier or larger clips will only go up from there.

 

Well, this went on quite a bit longer than I expected it too, but I wanted to be thorough. I hope you are now inspired to go out and find a clip or two to add to your collection! They are an interesting and dramatic error, yet readily available. They are also a great conversation starter!

 

I’ll leave you with my last Franklin clip, a 1954S with a very minor clip.

 

Jason Poe

 

(Minor clip on a 1954S)

 

[RWB]

Very nice exposition, Jason!

 

["The incomplete planchet error...." At first I though you were talking about Jed Clampett....been a loooong day.]

[WoodenJefferson]

I just now had the time to read and attempt to absorb all this information ~whew~

[supertooth]

Jason----- I've not collected this type of error coin. Mostly, I guess, because I've not seen a lot of them on Walkers.

 

But, I'm impressed with your efforts. From what little I know in this field, it's very well done. The pictures are excellent----and I have learned from them. Thanks for taking your time to post this information. Bob [supertooth]

[nwcs]

Very detailed and great discussion. I need to print it out to refer to later.

[IGWT]

Excellent! (thumbs u

[Bugmann1974]

Another great article! Thank you for taking the time to write this out (thumbs u

[Schatzy]

Great job Jason!! (thumbs u

[physics-fan3.14]

Thanks NGC for recognizing this as the post of the month!

[physics-fan3.14]

Just won this cool clip last night:

 

[cpm9ball]

Jason, thank you for taking the time to post this informative article. If it hadn't been for your latest update, I might not have seen it at all since I was offline for almost one year.

 

Though I don't actively pursue the search for this type of error, I do have two examples that were given to me as a gift by a fellow collector whom I've known for quite a while and I trust him implicitly when it comes to coin collecting.

 

Actually, he gave me three coins, 1960 Lincoln cents, which all came from the same Mint bag that he had searched:

 

The first, by my guesstimate, is a regular clip not more than 3% at K3. There is no distortion opposite the clip on the obverse or reverse, but it does show the characteristic tapering of the rim adjacent to the clip that you cited.

 

The second, again by my guesstimate, is a large, regular clip of 15% at K11. I don't have photos, but imagine a chunk the diameter of the cent cut away from just above the "I" in IGWT all the way along the rim to a point above the "E" of IGWT. It arcs all the way into the coin to the top of Lincoln's head. Again, there isn't any distortion opposite the clip on the obverse or reverse, but the edge of the rim adjacent to the clip does show the characteristic tapering.

 

The third is a blank. Note that I didn't refer to it as a planchet because it looks like it missed the upsetting mill. One thing I might mention at this point is that blanks do have characteristics of their own. When the cutting tool comes in contact with the top surface of the sheet of metal, the edge is slightly rounded as the cutting tool pushes through it. However, the edge is sqaured, or perpendicular, to the bottom surface because the blank is pressed against the cutting table.

 

I would imagine that if another collector is enchanted by this kind of error, and he or she wanted to try to find some on their own, they would probably be more apt to acheive some measure of success by searching bags rather than rolls, mint sets, etc. Where else can one get a large quantity that came from the same production run.

 

Again, thanks Jason, for a great article.

 

Chris

[Schatzy]

Great Pickup Jason!! (thumbs u

[rrantique]

Thanks Jason great article and illustrations.

[pendragon1998]

That was an absolutely wonderful article, and a real boon to the collecting community here. Thanks for taking the time and effort to research and write this for us.

[jesbroken]

Excellent reference article, Jason. As I have never collected such errors, it was all new and greatly interesting information. Thank you for your time and effort for this article. I truly enjoyed the photos, which bring everything together.

Jim

[franklinlvr-migration]

This is an excellent writeup Jason! I ran across the link from one of your auctions. I'm working on a complete date/MM Franklin clip set. Here are the ones I have with a few duplicate dates.

 

By the way, if anyone has any dates that I'm missing please PM me. Let me know if you'd like to sell that '54-S clip Jason.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Schatzy]

Franklinlover........awesome set of coins!!

[cpm9ball]

Wonderful set of errors!

 

Chris

[123cents]

Awesome set of errors!

[physics-fan3.14]

That is a great set of clips, Brett!

[franklinlvr-migration]

Thanks guys!

 

I've found that 1958 is the most common year for clips on Franklins. Does anyone know if this is the case for other series?

[123cents]

This is a lot of information to absorb but I love it. Thanks Jason!

[moneyhoney]

Great!!! You are good, I mean really good...where did you learn that stuff?!!

 

THANKS

[Conder101]

Very nice article. About the only thing he didn't discuss was the elliptical clip.

[RWB]

...brought back nice thoughts of IGWT.....

[jpcienkus]

Well written and very easy to understand! I'm glad someone chose to bump this thread back so I had a chance to read it. I work for an electrical steel stamper and we primarily use progressive dies, which is what it seems they use to create the blank.

 

I learned a ton just reading this and want to go out and purchase one for myself!

 

Thank you!

[physics-fan3.14]

Very nice article. About the only thing he didn't discuss was the elliptical clip.

 

An excellent point. That is a rather scarce type of clip, but very interesting. I saw a couple for sale at the FUN show today, on a Washington and a Kennedy.