50 Cent Coins 1967-2005

Trial Strike

1967

Dot Over 1

Struck out of Collar

As you can see on these photos the milled edge does not appear on all the edge of the coins with only half to two thirds of the coins having the milling.

These collar faults are very interesting and often missed by collectors as little to no sign of the error appears of the obverse or reverse.

Two theories of how these are created exist and each has the potential to cause this fault. The First is that the coin has not been through a machine that raises the rim slightly, so the blanks are marginally larger than those coins that have been though an upsetting mill. [The upsetting mill is also sometimes called a rimming machine]. When the blank is then pressed between the dies it gets partially stuck outside the collar causing this effect to varying degrees.

The second theory is that the mechanism that holds the collar around the coin may have been damaged and not fully compressing around the rim of the blank.

: 50% of Rim Has Error

: 33% of Rim Has Error

: 50% of Rim Has Error

: 33% of Rim Has Error

: Both Rim Errors

Out of Collar Error – 32.2mm – 2.2mm Thick – 13.550g

Clipped Planchet

Misc Thin Planchets missing detail

1968

Doubled Obverse and missing detail

Can be hard to find as these coins were only minted to a small number of collector sets and not for general Circulation

1969

Edge spacing varieties. Other edge varieties also on the large commemorative dollar

Photos provided by RNSNZ

1971

In 1971 the coins for circulation and for sets were made at two different mints. This resulted in small details being different between the mints. The The main difference between the Set and Circulating versions is the font used so the numbers on the date are different.

: Circulating Variety

: Set Variety

: Circulating Variety

1975

Clipped Planchet

Out of Collar

Diameter is larger than a standard coin as it has not been restricted by the collar 32.6mm and weight is 13.787g. Sadly some PMD (Post Mint Damage) on this coin as it was likely used in a vending / parking machine and got stuck due to the larger size and it appears they had to dig it out.

1980

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

1981

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

Clipped Planchet

1982

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

1984 Set Varieties

While taking photos of the 1984 circulating and set coin varieties I noticed that the set issues for 1984 have two different reverse designs. We can tell that both of these coins were produced for sets when we compare the obverse design as this was also different between circulating and set varieties.

The difference in the reverse designs was noted in the NZ Numismatic Journal #76 December 1998 where it stated “The collector issues struck for the years 1984 through 1988 and 1990 through 1998 all include fifty cent coins bearing the Type 2 reverse (missing rope), as does the general circulation coinage for 1986 and 1987”.

Detail on queen completely different between sets and circulation issues. More photos will be added for this as interestingly enough it is different to other years. From 1980-1982 the detail of the queen was the same on the 50 cent piece for both circulating and non circulating but not for other denominations.

1985

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

1986

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

1987

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

1988 Circulating Variety

Circulating Vs Set Comparison

Click on the link above to view see the differences between coins released for circulation and those released for collector sets

The following Variety was studied in the Numismatic Journal Dec 1998 (N0.76) By Martin McKenzie available from the Royal Numismatic Society of New Zealand.

The Difference of this year is this variety on the left appeared on the UNC Sets as well as circulating coins.

1990

150th Anniversary Design

A circulating coin with the rope missing is the rarer variety although it can be harder to determine in higher grades if it is a circulation coin or recently cut from a set. The easiest way to compare is to look at the space between the 8′ s in the date. The coins in the photos below are both type 2 variety