Heritage’s various auctions taking place before, during and immediately after the Florida United Numismatists show, held this year Jan. 7 to 10 in Tampa, are a juggernaut that sets the pace for the U.S. rare coin market in the coming year. Heritage’s first U.S. Coins session, held on Jan. 6, featured some impressive error coins that were led by a crazy undated Roosevelt dime that was struck on a nail. Graded Mint State 65 by Professional Coin Grading Service, the error made national mainstream news and sold for a huge $42,300.

The Coin:
Franklin half dollar, struck off-center on a quarter dollar planchet, Proof 65

The Price: 
$14,100

The Story:
Another visually fascinating error, this Franklin half dollar was struck 65 percent off-center on a Proof quarter dollar planchet. As the catalog observes, though the piece has no evidence of a date or Mint mark, it is very likely a Philadelphia Mint issue as Proof coins were struck exclusively at that facility between 1950 and 1963. Heritage adds, “PCGS designates the grade as PR65, but the Franklin half dollar strike appears to be from business dies.”

Regardless of whether or not the resulting error should be classified as a Proof or as a circulation strike, major off-center Franklin half dollars are rare. An off-center Franklin half dollar on a wrong planchet is even rarer. This one, graded PCGS Proof 65, sold for $14,100 at Heritage’s Jan. 6 FUN auction.