In 1997, under the
leadership of Dr. Wiles, CONECA adopted a new numbering system for
cataloging die varieties. Prior to that time 20th
century die varieties had been cataloged by variety type only with
no regard to die marriages or to the number of varieties in a given
denomination or series. Collectors were at a loss to integrate
their varieties into their normal date and mint collections. The
development of a three level cataloging system provided just the
information needed for collectors to assemble variety collections in
a systemized manner.
The highest level,
called the Universal Variety Code (UVC) assigns a sequential number
to every die variety listed in the CONECA files for a given
denomination and series. Thus every die variety (whether design
change, mintmark style, doubled die, RPM, or other type) in a
denomination or series has a unique identifier. In addition the
numerical identifier corresponds to a die marriage, with the result
that every die marriage in a given denomination and series also has
a unique identifier. The collector using this numbering system can
quite easily keep track of all varieties in a denomination and
series.
The secondary level,
called the Die Marriage Registry (DMR) assigns a sequential number
to every die marriage within a given date and mint for a
denomination or series. A lot of collectors collect varieties by
date and mint rather than by denomination and series. In other
words, they focus on a particular date and mint, attempting to
collect all the known varieties and any new ones they can find. The
Die Marriage Registry (DMR) number provides those who desire to
collect varieties by date and mint the ability to do so with ease.
Other collectors
prefer to collect by type of variety. The CONECA numbering system
assigns a third unique, sequential number, the Variety/Type number,
for each die identified with a particular type of variety in a given
date and mint. Thus RPM collectors, for example, are able to collect
by RPM number within date and mint just as they have in the past. In
addition to RPMs and doubled dies which have been collected with a
passion for the last 25 years, many other types of varieties are
becoming popular. Die errors such as broken dies (cuds), rotated
reverses, and abraded dies also come under this one umbrella as a
part of the new CONECA numbering system. Each has its own
Variety/Type number. In short, any die variety and/or die error can
and eventually will be cataloged. Variety collectors, regardless of
what they collect, will be able to have a unique sequential number
assigned to their varieties.
Every variety then has
three codes (UVC, DMR, Variety/Type). So for instance in the
Jefferson nickel series UVC-041, DMR-002, RPM-001 all help identify
the same variety, the 1942-D/horizontal D. UVC-041 tells the
collector this is the forty-first variety cataloged for the
Jefferson nickel series. DMR-002 tells the collector this is the
second die marriage identified for the 1942-D. And RPM-001 tells
the collector this is the first repunched mintmark cataloged for the
date and mint, in this case 1942-D. Occasionally more than one
Variety/Type number is needed. Continuing with the Jefferson nickel
series lets look at UVC-174, DMR-002, RPM-001, DDR-001, DDO-002.
This one coin has three different varieties. It has a doubled die
obverse cataloged as die number 2 for the date and mint (1944-D).
It also sports a doubled die reverse cataloged as die number 1 for
the date and mint. And to top it off it is cataloged as die number
1 in the repunched mintmark files. It is the second die marriage
cataloged for the 1944-D nickel and it is the one hundred and
seventy fourth variety cataloged for the Jefferson nickel series.
The CONECA die varieties numbering system
is proprietary to the
Combined Organizations of
Numismatic Error Collectors of America
and is
used under license issued by CONECA.