Broadstrike vs. Off-Center Strike: What Is the Difference?

Broadstrike vs. Off-Center: Two Strike Errors, Two Different Causes

Broadstrikes and off-center strikes are both caused by problems during the striking process, but they result from different mechanical failures. Understanding the distinction helps with attribution, value assessment, and knowing what you actually have.

Broadstrikes

A broadstrike occurs when a coin is struck outside the collar die (the ring that normally constrains the planchet and creates the coin's edge). Without the collar, the metal spreads outward freely during striking.

Key characteristics:

• The full design is present — both obverse and reverse are completely struck
• The coin is wider than normal because the metal expanded without collar restraint
• Reeded-edge coins (dimes, quarters, halves) will have a smooth edge instead of reeding
• The design may appear slightly spread or distorted toward the edges
• The coin is centered or very close to centered between the dies

Off-Center Strikes

An off-center strike occurs when the planchet is not properly centered between the dies. Part of the design doesn't land on the planchet at all.

Key characteristics:

• Part of the design is missing — the planchet wasn't under that portion of the die
• The coin may or may not be the correct diameter
• The struck portion shows full detail; the unstruck area is blank planchet
• The percentage off-center describes how much design is missing

The Key Distinction

Think of it this way:

• Broadstrike = correctly centered, but the collar was missing or malfunctioning. Full design, expanded size.
• Off-center = incorrectly centered between the dies. Partial design, normal (or near-normal) planchet size.

A coin can actually be both — broadstruck AND off-center — if it was struck outside the collar while also being misaligned. These combination errors are particularly interesting to collectors.

Explore broadstrike varieties in the NumisDex broadstrike listings.