[attachmentid=793]


I notice lots of 2003 Lincoln cent proofs that are being labeled as "error" coins on ebay because the 3 was not struck as hard as the other numbers. Does the coin have more value because of that??

I have seen these also - sometimes called a disappearing '3' or similar. I don't think they are much of an error - just seems like a real minor thing and not real desirable - at least to me.

Yeah I have a few of those myself.

I see those on Ebay more than one might think. Probably has a little more value than a normal one. Been waiting to snag one for cheap myself. Kind of neat.

I'm sure Dutchman will know the price.

well.....i haven't seen one of these in hand.....but I haven't been looking....I'm sure that they will have a little premium....but I wouldn't pay more then $10 or so for one

I have a pic of mine here...

http://coinpeople.com/index.php?showtopic=1718

People might pay a premium for them, I would not. It depends on how you define "error" or what you'd find desirable about an error.

Weakly struck coins often are priced at a discount to their fullly struck brethren. For example, shield nickels and 2c pieces generally sell for less if the shield is not fully struck, even though you could call it a "disappearing shield" error. Other details on the coin may appear sharp.

Fortunately (or unfortunately, if you were a no cents liberty nickel hoarder in the 1880s), I don't decide what's valuable, the marketplace does. I remember back in 99 and 200 some grease-filled die quarters that were missing details sold at a premium, they might sill sell for extra money.

These are not caused by a weak strike or a filled die. The 3 in the die simply was not masked off properly so it got polished along with the fields. So it doesn't have the same contrast that the rest of the devices have. Light hitting it is not scattered and so doesn't show up like the rest of the date does.