Beginning A Coin Assortment
The most effective place to start out amassing can be with pennies, we are going to give attention to the Lincoln Cent for the years 1909 by means of 1958, that are the Wheat Cents. There are nonetheless quite a few “wheat cents” exhibiting up in circulation, so it’s attainable to start out a coin assortment with out spending a substantial amount of cash.
While you’re looking your pocket change for “wheat cents”, you’ll want to test for silver coinage and naturally test these quarters. Then new 50 State Commemorative Quarters are an excellent place to start out since you’ll find 5 new states annually plus the totally different mint marks.
Getting again to pennies, which is the place we need to begin our new assortment. The primary Lincoln Cent was minted in 1909 and was product of copper. The mint continued to make pennies from copper till 1943, when for this yr solely, they have been product of metal and zinc plated to forestall them from rusting. These cash look like silver or grey in coloration due to the plating. The pennies have been product of metal due to a copper scarcity introduced on by the conflict, however they resumed utilizing copper in 1944. Between 1909 and 1958 the penny featured Lincoln on the obverse (entrance of the coin) and the phrases “ONE CENT” over “United States of America” framed by bundles of wheat on all sides of the phrases, there by getting the descriptive identify of “Wheat Cents”. That is how the penny is named for the years 1909-1958. Apart from a minor change within the composition of the steel which was 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc till 1943 after they have been zinc plated metal, after which 1944 till 1958 after they have been 95% copper, 5% zinc and no tin.
The Penny remained the identical for 50 years. It was designed by Victor David Brenner, whose initials appeared on the reverse, of some, of the cash minted that first yr. There are two forms of the 1909, some have the VDB on the reverse, (again of coin) on the backside of the coin on the 6 o’clock place, and others don’t. The pennies have been minted at Philadelphia, Pa. and San Francisco, Ca. The pennies from San Francisco have a small “s” below the date whereas the Philadelphia cash haven’t any mintmark. The cash to watch for are those with mintmarks; this is applicable to all cash not simply pennies. The worth of cash is vastly based mostly on rarity and with the Philadelphia mint being the biggest of the mints; it was pure for them to provide the best variety of cash. There may be additionally a mint in Denver, Co. and a mint, which had been closed by this time in Carson Metropolis. The Denver mint put a small “d” below the date and on older coinage of different varieties you will see the letters “CC” for Carson Metropolis zlati kovanci.
Mint Marks are Necessary, be taught to watch for them.
Again to pennies, in 1909 when the primary Lincoln (wheat cent) penny was made, they minted 72,702,618 in Philadelphia with out the designers, Victor David Brenner, initials. They produced 27,995,000 with the VDB on the reverse of the penny. This identical yr, 1909, San Francisco minted 1,825,000 with out the designer’s initials and 484,000 with the initials VDB on the reverse on the backside of the coin. So now for the economics lesson of provide and demand and the way it impacts value. When you had a 1909-penny in “good” situation it could be price about 75 cents, in “mint” situation it could be valued at about $14.00. When you had a 1909 with VDB on the reverse in “good” situation, it could be price about $1.80, in “mint” situation ( I can’t clarify this ) the worth is about $9.00 ( the one obvious motive for the penny with the decrease mintage being price much less in mint situation then the plain 1909 in mint situation, can be that in numismatic information saved by the grading providers, there are most likely extra 1909 VDB’s on file than plain 1909’s) When you had a 1909s in “good” situation it’s price $37.00, in “mint” situation about $120.00. Now in the event you have been fortunate sufficient to discover a 1909s with the initials VDB on the reverse in “good” situation it’s price $350.00 and in “mint” situation it’s price $680.00 or extra. Not dangerous for a penny.