An off-center strike occurs when the coin blank slips out of proper alignment with the dies before the strike descends. The result is a coin whose design appears shifted toward one side, leaving a plain, unstruck crescent of planchet metal visible on the opposite edge. At the Philadelphia Mint in the early 1920s, this happened when the feeding mechanism failed to fully seat a planchet inside the collar ring.
The most critical factor for value is whether the date remains visible. A 1923 dime struck 20–50% off-center that still retains a readable date is significantly more desirable than one where the date has been pushed off the edge entirely. Collectors also prize examples where both the obverse portrait and the fasces reverse show partial but identifiable design elements.
Heritage Auctions has documented a 1923-S specimen struck approximately 10% off-center — a relatively modest shift, but notable because the San Francisco issue already commands a premium. The 1923-S semi-key status combined with any error multiplies collector interest. Philadelphia examples with 20–30% misalignment and a visible date typically realize $150–$300 at specialized numismatic auctions, while dramatic 40–50% examples can reach $400 or more.
A broadstrike happens when a planchet is struck without the retaining collar in place. The collar normally constrains the metal as the dies close, forming the reeded edge and keeping the coin at its correct 17.9 mm diameter. Without it, the silver spreads outward freely during the strike, producing a coin that is measurably wider, thinner, and flatter than normal, with a smooth, plain edge instead of reeds.
Visually, a broadstruck 1923 dime looks "squashed" — the design elements spread outward from the center, and Liberty's portrait and the fasces can appear wider and less defined around their outer edges. The coin's overall diameter typically exceeds the standard 17.9 mm by 1–3 mm depending on severity, which is easily measurable with digital calipers.
Well-preserved examples that retain clear design detail on both sides despite the metallic expansion are the most desirable. A 1923-P broadstrike in circulated condition with full date visibility typically sells for $75–$200. Uncirculated examples are considerably rarer and can reach $300–$350. Any 1923-S broadstrike is scarcer still and commands a proportional premium on top of these figures.
A doubled die error originates at the die-making stage, not during the striking process. When the hub used to impress the design onto a working die makes two or more misaligned impressions, every coin struck from that die carries the doubled image permanently. The doubling is mechanically raised on the coin's surface — this is the key distinction from flat, mechanical doubling caused by a bouncing die during striking.
On 1923 Mercury dimes, the areas most susceptible to visible doubling are the obverse inscriptions LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date numerals. Minor doubled die varieties exist for both the Philadelphia and San Francisco issues but are not cataloged under major FS- designations by PCGS or listed in primary price guides. They are documented in specialist CONECA and Variety Vista databases as minor varieties.
The value of a doubled die on a 1923 dime depends almost entirely on how clearly visible the doubling is to the naked eye or under modest magnification. Minor examples showing subtle spreading add $50–$150 to base coin value. Strong, clearly separated doubling on the date or LIBERTY — the kind visible with a 5× glass — can push values to $250–$300 in MS grades. Such well-defined examples are genuinely uncommon on this date.
Lamination errors originate in the planchet itself before the coin is ever struck. During the refining and rolling of the 90% silver, 10% copper alloy strips used to punch out blanks, impurities, gas pockets, or inclusion defects can become trapped within the metal layers. Over time — sometimes decades — these subsurface weaknesses cause the coin's surface to crack, split, or peel, revealing a layer separation that wasn't visible when the coin left the mint.
On a 1923 Mercury dime, lamination flaws appear as raised flakes, cracks running through fields or design elements, or outright detached patches where a thin layer of silver has separated from the coin's body. The flaw may be partially attached (a "retained lamination") or entirely missing, leaving a rough, pitted depression in its place. Retained examples where the flake is still intact tend to be more visually dramatic and more collectible.
Value depends heavily on the size, location, and condition of the lamination flaw. A small crack near the rim adds only $25–$50 to base value. A large, dramatic peel across Liberty's portrait or the fasces — especially on a coin that is otherwise in VF or better condition — can add $100–$250. The 1923-S base value further multiplies any lamination premium because the coin is already more desirable than the Philadelphia issue.
A struck-through error results when foreign material — grease, cloth fibers, metal shavings, wire, or other debris — becomes lodged between the die face and the planchet at the moment of striking. The material prevents the die from fully impressing the design onto the coin's surface, leaving a void, mushy area, or anomalous texture wherever the obstruction was present. The most common version is a grease-filled die, which creates smooth, blank-looking patches in the affected area.
On a 1923 Mercury dime, the most visually impactful struck-throughs affect prominent design elements: Liberty's portrait, the date numerals, or the central fasces on the reverse. A grease-filled die that obscures part of the date is particularly interesting to collectors because it creates a coin that can appear to have a missing numeral. Struck-throughs affecting the mint mark area of a 1923-S are especially notable.
The rarest sub-type is the retained struck-through, where the foreign object remains embedded in the coin after striking — a piece of wire, cloth fiber, or metal shard physically lodged in the coin's surface. These are many times rarer than non-retained examples and can realize $300 or more. Standard grease struck-throughs with minor design fill add only $15–$50, while dramatic examples with significant design loss in a named area sell for $75–$200.
