The "egg error" on a coin refers to a manufacturing defect where the metallic colors of a bimetallic coin appear to have bled or "leaked" into each other, resembling the appearance of a fried egg.
Understanding the "Egg Error" Phenomenon
This distinctive error primarily affects bimetallic coins, which typically consist of an outer ring made of one metal and an inner core made of another. In a properly minted coin, these two sections maintain distinct colors and boundaries.
- Appearance: The term "egg error" comes from the coin's visual similarity to a fried egg, where the yellow yolk (representing one metal) is surrounded by the white (the other metal), but with some intermingling. Specifically, this means the outer gold part has leaked into the inner silver or vice versa, creating a blurred or distorted separation between the two metals.
- Cause: This type of error is a result of a minting malfunction, often involving issues with the planchets (the blank coin discs) or the striking process itself, leading to the metals flowing or fusing incorrectly during production.
- Rarity and Value: Egg error coins are considered rare due to the unusual nature of the defect. Consequently, they are highly sought after by numismatists and error coin collectors. Collectors specializing in errors are often willing to pay hundreds of pounds for these unique and scarce pieces, making them valuable finds.
Finding an "egg error" coin is uncommon, distinguishing it as a significant variant among collectible currency errors.
