What Does PMD Mean in Coins?
In coin collecting, PMD stands for Post-Mint Damage. It’s a catch-all term for anything that happened to a coin after it left the mint. Scratches, dings, dents, bends, burns, drill holes… if the damage didn’t happen during the minting process, it’s PMD.
It’s one of the most common answers you’ll see in online forums when someone asks, “Is this an error?”
And most of the time, it’s the right answer.
What Counts as PMD?
Anything that happens to a coin after it’s struck is considered PMD. Some common examples:
- Circulation wear (scrapes, rim dings, surface loss)
- Bag marks happen when coins bang into each other in large storage bags after minting.
- Environmental damage (corrosion, staining, pitting)
- Ejector marks are caused by the machine ejecting the coin from the press, usually leaving scrapes or dents.
- Tool marks (scratches from cleaning or poking)
- Vise damage (flattened or squeezed coins)
- Hammered coins (coins hit with nails, hammers, or other objects)
- Heat damage (melted surfaces, bubbling)
- Altered coins (holes, carving, counterstamps unless intentional and collectible)
It doesn’t matter why it happened. If it didn’t occur during the actual minting process, it’s PMD. Bag marks and ejection marks might happen at the mint, but they don’t happen during minting. They’re still considered damage.
What PMD Is Not
Not all weird-looking coins are damaged. These are not PMD:
- Die cracks
- Die chips
- Double dies
- Misaligned dies
- Off-centers
- Strikethroughs
- Cuds
- Planchet flaws
These are mint-made issues. They happened during the striking process and are considered legitimate errors or varieties.
Why Does PMD Matter?
Most PMD kills value. Collectors generally want coins in clean, undamaged condition, especially for modern pieces or coins with high potential grades.
PMD also confuses people who are trying to spot genuine mint errors. For beginners, it’s easy to confuse damage with something interesting, especially if a coin is deeply worn or oddly shaped.
That’s why so many replies in coin forums are just one word:
PMD.
When PMD Is Still Worth Something
There are exceptions:
- Counterstamped coins: Some were made for advertising or as novelties and are collectible.
- Elongated coins: Stretched souvenir coins can have value.
- Historical damage: A Civil War bullet-struck coin, for example, could be worth more because of its story.
- Art coins: Carved or engraved coins like hobo nickels can be valuable if the work is good.
But unless the damage tells a clear and compelling story, it’s usually just damage.
How to Tell if It’s PMD
Ask yourself one question:
Could this have happened at the mint, during striking, planchet prep, or die use?
If the answer is no, it’s probably PMD.
If you’re not sure, compare your coin to known examples on sites like error-ref.com, Variety Vista, or Genuine Cents. (You’re here. That one’s easy.)
Bottom Line
PMD stands for Post-Mint Damage.
It’s not an error. It’s not valuable. And it’s not rare.
But learning to spot it quickly is a crucial skill for every collector, especially if you’re buying coins, roll hunting, or sorting lots for resale.
If you’re ever unsure, ask. Just be ready to hear:
“PMD.”