Mint Error Chronicles: Split Planchet

Numismatic Guaranty Company® (NGC®) is the world’s leading authority on mint errors, a popular segment of numismatics. In Mint Error Coin Chronicles, we take an in-depth look at a specific kind of mint error. This month’s topic is the Split Planchet.

Split Planchets can occur when weaknesses within the planchet itself are exposed by the force used to strike the coin with the dies, cleaving the coin in two. This mated pair of Greece 1966 5 Drachmas graded NGC Mint Error XF 40 - Split Planchet was the result of the planchet splitting along the plane of the coin; one has the obverse design while the other has the reverse. (This mated pair is being offered in an A. Karamitsos sale in December 2024.)

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Split Planchets can also occur before the strike with the dies. In this case, the resulting coin will typically exhibit signs of weakness in the design and can appear similar to a die adjustment strike. This Canada 1980 Dollar graded NGC Mint Error - Struck on a Split Planchet Before Strike realized $552 at a Heritage Auctions sale in October 2021.

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Other NGC-certified Split Planchet Errors sold through Heritage Auctions include:

• a pair of US 1888 Three Cent Nickels, each graded NGC Mint Error PF 65 Cameo - Split Planchet, which realized $2,820 in December 2014
• an undated Canada Penny - Blacksmith Issue graded NGC Mint Error VG 8 BN - Obverse Half of a Split Planchet and pedigreed to the Donald G. Partrick Collection, which realized $2,400 in March 2021
• a US 1857 3 Cent Silver graded NGC Mint Error MS 63 - Obverse Half of Split Planchet After Strike, which realized $1,320 in July 2022
• a mated pair of US 1917 Buffalo Nickels, each graded NGC Mint Error MS 64 - Split Planchet, which realized $1,260 in June 2023
• a US 1890 Liberty Head Nickel graded NGC Mint Error MS 64 - Struck 10% Off-center on a Split Planchet After Strike, which realized $1,050 in October 2022
• a US 1920 Buffalo Nickel graded NGC Mint Error MS 64 - Struck on a Split Planchet Before Strike with Uniface Reverse, which realized $763 in August 2017
• a US 1890 Liberty Nickel graded NGC Mint Error MS 63 - Struck on a Split Planchet Before Strike, which realized $690 in October 2022
• a US 1960 Franklin Half Dollar graded NGC Mint Error - Struck on Split Planchet Before Strike, which realized $630 in June 2023

Prices realized include buyer’s premium. The $ symbol indicates US Dollars.

Other Mint Error Coin Chronicles Articles:

• Broadstrikes
• Brockage
• Double-Struck
• Errors Involving Holes
• Mules
• Off-Center Strikes
• Partial Collars
• Planchet Crack
• Rotated Dies Error
• Strike-through Error
• Transitional Errors
• Wrong Planchet Errors