The 1890 Liberty Nickel offers several documented varieties and planchet errors that collectors actively seek. Some require only a naked eye to spot, while others demand a 10× loupe and careful comparison to reference images. Here is the complete breakdown of what to look for, how to recognize each, and what collectors are currently paying.
$30 – $500+
The RPD FS-301 is the signature die variety for the 1890 Liberty Nickel, catalogued by CONECA and recognized under PCGS #38421. It was created when the die-cutter punched the date digits into the working die and then re-entered the punch at a slightly different position, leaving a secondary impression beneath or alongside the primary date.
On this variety, the repunching is most evident in the "1" and "8" of the date. Under a 10× loupe, you can see a clear ghost or offset impression of the numeral sitting just above, below, or angled from the main struck digit. The secondary image is not a doubling of the entire hub design — only the date itself shows the repunching, which distinguishes it from hub doubling errors.
Collectors prize FS-designated varieties because they are catalogued, historically documented, and reproducible — every coin from the affected die pair carries the same diagnostic. In circulated grades, the premium is modest (roughly 15–25%). In Mint State, a sharp example with the full RPD visible can bring 35% or more above a regular 1890 nickel of the same grade.
$75 – $400+
A broadstrike occurs when a planchet is struck outside the retaining collar die that normally constrains the metal and defines the coin's edge and diameter. Without the collar, metal flows freely outward during the strike, producing a coin that is noticeably larger and thinner than a standard 1890 Liberty Nickel's 21.2 mm diameter.
Visually, a broadstruck 1890 nickel shows the full design — Liberty's portrait, the wreath, and the "V" — but the devices are spread toward the rim and the lettering along the periphery is often partially or fully off the coin's edge. The reeding or plain edge may look irregular. The coin will measure perceptibly wider than a normal nickel when placed side by side.
Broadstrikes are prized because they are unmistakably dramatic — the error is impossible to fake convincingly on a coin of this era. Values depend on how complete the design appears and whether the error is dramatic enough to be instantly recognizable. Problem-free examples in fine or better condition attract serious error-coin collectors.
$60 – $350+
A clipped planchet occurs during the blank-punching stage of coin production. When the steel strip of alloy passes through the blanking press, a punch stamps out coin-sized discs. If the strip overlaps a previously punched hole, the next punch cuts into that void, producing a planchet with a curved or straight section missing. The resulting coin has a distinctive bite taken out of its edge.
On a 1890 Liberty Nickel, look for a curved missing arc (most common, called a "curved clip") or a straight missing section (a "straight clip") anywhere along the coin's circumference. The Blakesley effect — a weakly struck area directly opposite the clip — is the numismatic diagnostic that confirms the clip happened before the strike, not after. This distinguishes a genuine error from post-mint damage.
Clipped planchets are genuine Mint production mistakes that survived quality control. Curved clips on Liberty Nickels are more common than straight clips, and multiple-clip specimens (two or more clips) command significantly higher premiums. The severity of the clip and whether it affects a key design element influence final value considerably.
$40 – $250+
A lamination error arises from impurities or voids in the metal alloy strip before it is rolled to the correct thickness for coin production. If a foreign material or gas pocket is trapped in the alloy during rolling, it creates a thin layer of metal that is not properly bonded to the coin's body. This delaminated layer may peel, flake, or separate either before or after striking.
On the 1890 Liberty Nickel — struck in a 75% copper / 25% nickel alloy — laminations appear as splits, cracks, or peeling sections on either face of the coin. They can range from hairline fractures in the die field to large patches of metal that have partially or completely separated. The detached flap, if still present, is called an "attached lamination"; a missing piece leaves a void called a "missing lamination."
Collectors who specialize in mint errors seek dramatic laminations that affect recognizable design elements. A lamination crossing Liberty's portrait or obscuring key reverse lettering is more desirable than one in an open field. The error is intrinsic to the metal and cannot be faked by post-mint damage, making it especially collectable in certified holders.
$150 – $600+
A brockage is one of the most visually striking Mint errors in any series. It occurs when a previously struck coin fails to eject from the die and instead stays on the anvil die when the next planchet is fed in. During the subsequent strike, the retained coin acts as a die itself, transferring its raised design as an incuse (sunken) mirror image onto the fresh planchet beneath it.
On a 1890 Liberty Nickel brockage, one face of the coin shows the normal design — Liberty's portrait, stars, and date — while the other face displays that same design in mirror-image relief, sunk into the coin's surface rather than raised. The incuse image is perfectly reversed and often extremely sharp because the struck coin that caused it was already a well-impressed piece with full design details.
Brockage errors on Liberty Nickels are exceptionally rare survivals. The multi-coin pileup that creates them is usually caught before many pieces escape the Mint. A well-centered brockage on a problem-free, original-surface 1890 Liberty Nickel is a top-tier error collector's prize. Certified examples appear in major auction catalogues only occasionally, and bidding competition is intense when they do.
