The “dropped star” error–technical name, “Struck-Through Dropped Filling”–is easy to detect because a star-shaped device appears in the wrong place. The error, authenticated by PCGS, exists in a 2024-D Kennedy Half Dollar.
Some believe the PCGS example is a “one of one” find, meaning, there may be no other similar error in the series. Or there just be one or more in different places. Here’s why.
The dropped star happens when grease or metal shavings fill the device. The striking continues and eventually releases the plug (also called “mint goop”) so it is struck on a subsequent planchet.
Think of the process as clogging and compacting on one planchet, dislodging and then being struck on a new planchet.
In this Kennedy half case, the star was ejected and appears on his profile. That’s interesting! The star in question was on the reverse and the plug stamped the star on the obverse of another planchet!
Here is a close-up photographed by Jeffrey Flynt who wrote about the find for PCGS.
Flynt has an optimistic outlook for error finders. He writes, “My journey from a routine coin roll hunt to a PCGS-certified ‘Dropped Star Obverse’ discovery coin has been an incredible experience. It highlights that even in the age of modern coinage, exciting and significant finds are still possible if you look closely.”
Keep in mind that the dropped star can also be a dropped number or letter as happened on other coins. For instance, a 2007-D Idaho quarter had an extra incuse “R” between the “R” and “T” in “LIBERTY.” Ken Potter, one of our top numismatists, wrote about this for Numismatic News.
He states, “Up until a few years ago the Dropped Letter error type was rarely encountered but with the Mint’s schedule for striking coins tighter than ever, it appears that routine die cleaning rarely occurs anymore.”
Here’s an example of a 1960-D dropped letter authenticated by PCGS:
NGC also has documented dropped letters and numbers.
Here’s a dropped “D” on a 1976-D Bicentennial Quarter.
Error and variety hunters have patience. They may look for anomalies on thousands of coins before finding an dropped device, number or letter. Unfortunately, there are fake added mintmarks and devices just as there are counterfeit and replica examples. Also, there is PAREIDOLIA, the tendency to perceive images in visual patterns, often leading to misidentification of coin errors.
For instance, “Daniel from CoinHELPu” questions whether PCGS made a mistake labeling this a dropped star. He believes the mark just may look like a star.
Proxiblog will keep monitoring this error, publishing new authenticated finds.
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