A coin with a slight variation from the normal design attributed to a particular issue. These small differences result when minor design variations are made to obverse and/or reverse dies as they are replaced when they wear out.
Because dies wear out often different pairs are used to strike coins and a coin of one type can be circulated with a slight die variety. The variety can be a very minor difference that you would never notice if you didn't know it existed! Some collectors are keen to collect all the known die varieties of certain coin types.
a unique combination of obverse and reverse dies
a coin of a certain type or design which is recognizably different from others of the same date and/or mintmark.
Any minor alteration in the basic design of a coin. Numerous examples of die varieties can be found on the pre-1947 coins from Jersey.
A coin which has already been attributed by denomination, date, mintmark and major variety (such as Morgan Dollar, 1879-S, Reverse of '78) can often still be broken down by die variety. Research has been done in many series assigning numbers to the various combinations of dies known to have struck coins of each of the various years and mintmarks. A few examples of reference works on die varieties are: Sheldon (large cents), Valentine (half dimes), Browning (early quarters), Overton (bust half dollars), Van- Allen/Mallis (Morgan silver dollars), and Breen (Us. gold coins $1 through $10).
Each die exhibits minute differences. A die variety is the coin variety created by a specific obverse and reverse die. When the obverse and/or reverse dies are changed a new variety is created. Some coin enthusiasts collect coins by die varieties, attempting to acquie an example of every die used to mint their favorite date and/or type of coin.
A variation of a design attributed to a particular die. For example, among United States cents of 1793 over a dozen different dies were used, all hand-cut, and each a different die variety.
an alteration in the basic design of a coin. Comes from slight differences in the designs on the dies used to stamp coins.
A coin that can be linked to a given set of dies because of characteristics possessed by those dies and mparted to the coin at the time it was struck. In the early years of U.S. coinage history, when dies were made by hand engraving or punching, each die was slightly different. The coins from these unique dies are die varieties and are collected in every denomination. By the 1840's, when dies were made by hubbing and therefore were more uniform, die varieties resulted mainly from variances in the size, shape, and positioning of the date and mintmark.
