I was recently asked several very interesting questions that pertain to a type of error known as a “Lamination Error” so I thought that I would share them with you!

QUESTION #1

I’ve heard about a type of error called a “lamination error”. Can you please tell me what that is?

1969-D Lincoln Cent - LAMINATION ERROR

A lamination error starts when impurities or gasses become trapped inside the metal strip as it is being rolled out to create the coinage strips used to make blanks that are ultimately used to make the planchets used to strike coins.

If, after a coin is struck, the impurity in the planchet is near the surface of the coin, a section can peel up or appear to be peeling from the surface of that coin. As seen on this 1969 D (Denver Mint) Lincoln Cent, a lamination error can appear as a jagged area of metal on the surface of the coin.

QUESTION #2

I’ve heard about something called a “split planchet error”. What is that all about?

Sometimes impurities or trapped gas in a planchet can be so bad that the entire planchet splits into pieces either before or after a coin is struck. When that happens, we can get something that we call a “split planchet” error.

1928 Indian Head Nickel - OBVERSE - SPLIT PLANCHET

Sometimes a coin can be struck on a full planchet that then splits into two halves with each half having the outer details the way they would appear on a normal coin. The inner portion would be rough and usually striated as that is how the inside of a planchet looks due to the process used to roll the metal into strips.

Also, in the case of a “split planchet” error that splits after the strike, we can usually see some of the details of the coin in the striated part of the metal that is imparted by the striking of the coin. The inner part of the planchet is actually effected by the strike so a ghostly image of the coins detail is seen.

1928 Indian Head Nickel - INTERIOR SURFACE - SPLIT PLANCHET

It gets more complicated with a planchet that splits in two before the strike. The resulting coin can be weakly struck on one side and still somewhat “striated” on the other side but sometimes more details appear.

When we deal with coins that have plating that is compromised or missing, we describe them as plating errors. So if the actual plating is peeling, we wouldn’t usually call that a lamination error. If on the other hand, a plated cent should be struck on a planchet that is indeed suffering from the effects of an interior gas bubble or an interior impurity. We could see a lamination error on a plated coin.

Surface Bubbles on a Copper-Plated Zinc, One Cent Planchet

That should not be confused with the little bubbles on the surface caused by corrosion that is taking place under the copper plating.