Will the year 2012 be our last year, here on Earth? Will a 2012 D, Denver Mint cent similar to this one be the last cent we see circulating in the Unitied States of America? Are we doomed to suffer some apocolyptic event that causes life, as we know it to dissapear from the face of the earth? Will we all go the way of the dinosaur? Will it all end? AAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!
Somehow, when considering the hype surrounding the year 2012, my mind wanders to some of the scenes of a “Mad Max” film starring Mel Gibson in which groups of barbarian like individuals battle each other for turf and the gasoline needed to operate their armored vehicles. The strange vehicles created from leftover automotive junkyard parts were futuristic in design but truly archaic in their use of mechanics and sources of fuel. The point of the film was to illustrate a move ahead into an unfortunate future time while still being able to hang on to the collapsed remnants of the past. The point was well made.
So what is all this 2012 stuff, anyway?
Predictions based primarily upon the end-date of what is known as the Mayan Long Count calendar, which is said to last for 5,125 years lends itself nicely to an “End of Times” phenomenon that is supposed to reach a climax on December 21st or 23rd, 2012. Those are the supposed end-dates of the aforementioned calendar period. The dating is drawn from a mixture of archaeoastronomical speculations, interpretations of mythology, the use of numerology and best of all….supposed phrophecies from other world aliens! I also think that some people have concluded that Nostradamus had something to do with this as well.
New Age interpretations of this end-date transition puts forward the idea that, during this time, the planet and its inhabitants may simply “undergo a positive physical or spiritual transformation”. 2012 may mark the beginning of and usher in a new human era. It will be similar to a worldwide New Year’s Celebration but on a grander more cosmic scale! On the other hand, some believe that the 2012 date marks the beginning of an end and they point to current day catastrophes such as earthquakes, floods, and disease to make the point that we are on the road to cosmic ruin.
Some of the predictions pertaining to the end of the world in 2012 include collision with another planet or asteroid, a polar reversal whereby the magnetic field of our planet rearranges itself, a change in the axis of the Earth that would create a wobble of the planet that would ultimately destroy the Earth by completely disrupting our planetary seasons; and the best prediction….The end of the earth will come as we line up with a black hole at the center of the Milky Way Universe. All these scenarios have been rejected by the scientific community since they defy the laws of physics or are contradicted by well known and understood scientific observations.
So, What do Maya sources think?
The truth is that mainstream Mayanist scholars feel that the idea that the Mayan Long Count calendar “ends” in 2012 misrepresents Maya history. Many suggest that the calendar simply completes a time cycle that will simply continue as the calendar is used to represent a new era in Maya culture. The modern Maya place no major importance on the 2012 date and to them, life will go on. There is actually no agreement of classic Maya sources about what the date might mean.
So for those of us who remember that “scary” time period about ten years ago, I strongly suspect that this is another Y2K (Year 2000) episode getting ready to explode. I think I will call it the M2K+D (Maya 2000 + a Dozen) phenomenon and let it go at that. (Remember that you heard M2K+D here first) Do I think that the world will end? Nahhh! But I’ll keep my fingers crossed anyway!
Being written and illustrated by Bill O’Rourke, the author of the “Found In Rolls” column, as seen in CoinWorld Magazine, “The Roll Searchers’ Handbook” is still in the works!
As I get further into the writing of this book, I am adding more and more of what will help you to identify those rare and valuable coins that you can locate as you search through rolls. The book is growing!
Keep an eye out as I will keep you updated as to my progress!
The recent rash of counterfeit coins reaching the United States from the Orient has prompted a few questions about the “Hobby Protection Act” here in the United States of America. I thought that it might be a good idea to add the text of the “Hobby Protection Act” as an article.
Here are the “RULES and REGULATIONS” as written in the Act which was originally approved in 1973 and subsequently ammended. NOTE: “Sec. 304.6 Marking requirements for imitation numismatic items”.
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 1, Parts 0 to 999]
[Revised as of January 1, 1998]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR304]
TITLE 16–COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
CHAPTER I–FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
PART 304–RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER THE HOBBY PROTECTION ACT–Table of Contents
Sec.
304.1 Terms defined.
304.2 General requirement.
304.3 Applicability.
304.4 Application of other law or regulation.
304.5 Marking requirements for imitation political items.
304.6 Marking requirements for imitation numismatic items.
(a) Act means the Hobby Protection Act (approved November 29, 1973;
Pub. L. 93-167, 87 Stat. 686, (15 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.)).
(b) Commerce has the same meanings as such term has under the
Federal Trade Commission Act.
(c) Commission means the Federal Trade Commission.
(d) Imitation numismatic item means an item which purports to be,
but in fact is not, an original numismatic item or which is a
reproduction, copy, or counterfeit of an original numismatic item. Such
term includes an original numismatic item which has been altered or
modified in such a manner that it could reasonably purport to be an
original numismatic item other than the one which was altered or
modified. The term shall not include any re-issue or re-strike of any
original numismatic item by the United States or any foreign government.
(e) Imitation political item means an item which purports to be, but
in fact is not, an original political item, or which is a reproduction,
copy or counterfeit of an original item.
(f) Original numismatic item means anything which has been a part of
a coinage or issue which has been used in exchange or has been used to
commemorate a person, object, place, or event. Such term includes coins,
tokens, paper money, and commemorative medals.
(g) Original political item means any political button, poster,
literature, sticker, or any advertisement produced for use in any
political cause.
(h) Person means any individual, group, association, partnership, or
any other business entity.
(i) Regulations means any or all regulations prescribed by the
Federal Trade Commission pursuant to the Act.
(j) United States means the States, the District of Columbia, and
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(k) Diameter of a reproduction means the length of the longest
possible straight line connecting two points on the perimeter of the
reproduction.
[40 FR 5496, Feb. 6, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 38942, Oct. 4, 1988]
Sec. 304.2 General requirement.
Imitation political or numismatic items subject to the Act shall be
marked in conformity with the requirements of the Act and the
regulations promulgated thereunder. Any violation of these regulations
shall constitute a violation of the Act and of the Federal Trade
Commission Act.
Sec. 304.3 Applicability.
Any person engaged in the manufacturing, or importation into the
United States for introduction into or distribution in commerce, of
imitation political or imitation numismatic items shall be subject to
the requirements of the Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Sec. 304.4 Application of other law or regulation.
The provisions of these regulations are in addition to, and not in
substitution for or limitation of, the provisions of any other law or
regulation of the United States (including the existing statutes and
regulations prohibiting the reproduction of genuine currency) or of the
law or regulation of any State.
Sec. 304.5 Marking requirements for imitation political items.
(a) An imitation political item which is manufactured in the United
States, or imported into the United States for introduction into or
distribution in commerce, shall be plainly and permanently marked with
the calendar year in which such item was manufactured.
(b) The calendar year shall be marked upon the item legibly,
conspicuously and nondeceptively, and in accordance with the further
requirements of these regulations.
(1) The calendar year shall appear in arabic numerals, shall be
based upon the Gregorian calendar and shall consist of four digits.
(2) The calendar year shall be marked on either the obverse or the
reverse surface of the item. It shall not be marked on the edge of the
item.
(3) An imitation political item of incusable material shall be
incused with the calendar year in sans-serif numerals. Each numeral
shall have a vertical dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0
mm) and a minimum depth of three-tenths of one millimeter (0.3 mm) or
one-half (1/2) the thickness of the reproduction, whichever is the
lesser. The minimum total horizontal
dimension for the four numerals composing the calendar year shall be six
millimeters (6.0 mm).
(4) An imitation political button, poster, literature, sticker, or
advertisement composed of nonincusable material shall be imprinted with
the calendar year in sans-serif numerals. Each numeral shall have a
vertical dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0 mm). The
minimum total horizontal dimension of the four numerals composing the
calendar year shall be six millimeters (6.0 mm).
Sec. 304.6 Marking requirements for imitation numismatic items.
(a) An imitation numismatic item which is manufactured in the United
States, or imported into the United States for introduction into or
distribution in commerce, shall be plainly and permanently marked
“COPY”.
(b) The word “COPY” shall be marked upon the item legibly,
conspicuously, and nondeceptively, and in accordance with the further
requirements of these regulations.
(1) The word “COPY” shall appear in capital letters, in the
English language.
(2) The word “COPY” shall be marked on either the obverse or the
reverse surface of the item. It shall not be marked on the edge of the
item.
(3) An imitation numismatic item of incusable material shall be
incused with the word “COPY” in sans-serif letters having a vertical
dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0 mm) or not less than
one-sixth of the diameter of the reproduction, and a minimum depth of
three-tenths of one millimeter (0.3 mm) or to one-half (\1/2\) the
thickness of the reproduction, whichever is the lesser. The minimum
total horizontal dimension of the word “COPY” shall be six millimeters
(6.0 mm) or not less than one-half of the diameter of the reproduction.
(4) An imitation numismatic item composed of nonincusable material
shall be imprinted with the word “COPY” in sans-serif letters having a
vertical dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0 mm) or not less
than one-sixth of the diameter of the reproduction. The minimum total
horizontal dimension of the word “COPY” shall be six millimeters (6.0
mm) or not less than one-half of the diameter of the reproduction.
[40 FR 5496, Feb. 6, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 38942, Oct. 4, 1988]
Although none of the coins seen here were roll finds, the subject matter is too important to avoid. There are huge operations in China that do nothing but produce counterfeit coins. These are not just the usual, “run of the mill” fakes that have been made for years. Some of these are good enough to fool the experts.
YEP! CHINESE COUNTERFEITS!!!
It is unfortunate that the practice of creating counterfeit coinage in China is a legal enterprise. Keep in mind though, that there is something called the “Hobby Protection Act” that outlines the rules for the sale and distribution of numismatic reproductions of United States Coins. Rules that are, of course routinely broken. You can read the text of the “Hobby Protection Act” at the end of this article.
Most of the coins I chose to show you are relatively easy to identify as fakes to those of us that know what to look for. Collectors who are less familiar with the shapes of the digits in the dates, for example, may actually have a tough time deciding whether or not these coins might be real.
Many of these fakes are made of the correct metal alloys, on planchets that are of the proper weight and thickness. Further, many of these counterfeits are actually minted on refurbished coin presses that were sold by the United States Mint to other countries who then ended up selling them to the Chinese counterfeiters.
Yep, you read that correctly! Many of these fakes are being produced on older coinage presses that were used by the United States Mint many years ago!!!
Even more shocking is that the internet auction companies where these coins are being sold appears to be doing very little to stem the tide of all these U.S. fakes entering the marketplace or anything shut these counterfeiters down! One major online auction company recently had the law laid down to them by the Canadian Government as in Canada, any copy of a coin is considered counterfeit. The auction company dropped the illegal listings of Canadian counterfeit coins.
Hopefully the same will be done with respect to the listing and sales of PHONY United States Coins!
SOME OBVIOUS FAKES, MARKED “REPLICA” DO NOT MEET THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE “HOBBY PROTECTION ACT” THEY ARE TO HAVE THE WORD COPY NOT REPLICA!
FAKE STATUE OF LIBERTY COMMEMORATIVE DOLLAR
NOTE THE DATE ON THIS PIECE! IT WAS ALTERED TO READ 1906, YET THESE COINS WERE NOT MINTED UNTIL 1986!
COUNTERFEIT MORGAN DOLLARS ARE VERY DECEPTIVE! IN THIS CASE, THE DIGITS IN THE DATE ARE POORLY DUPLICATED BUT THEY CAN STILL FOOL THE NOVICE COLLECTOR!
FAKE 1895 MORGAN DOLLAR
MAKING MATTERS EVEN WORSE! COUNTERFEIT COINS ARE OFTEN SOLD ON AUCTION WEBSITES AND WHEN SHIPPED FROM CHINA, DON’T HAVE THE WORD REPLICA OR COPY ON THEM AT ALL!!!
COUNTERFEIT SEATED LIBERTY DOLLARS AND TRADE DOLLARS ARE OFTEN SCRATCHED IN ORDER TO FOOL YOU INTO THINKING THAT THE COIN WAS JUST IMPROPERLY CLEANED!
FAKE 1872 SEATED LIBERTY DOLLAR
MANY COLLECTORS ARE NOT FAMILIAR WITH THE DETAILS ON THESE COINS, MAKING THEM A PRIME TARGET FOR COUNTERFEITERS!
NON-UNITED STATES COINS ARE ALSO BEING PRODUCED IN HUGE NUMBERS! BEWARE OF FAKES LIKE THIS ONE!
FAKE 8 REALES OF SPAIN
THIS PIECE COULD FOOL THE NOVICE AS WELL AS MANY SEASONED COIN DEALERS AND PROFESSIONALS!
I URGE YOU TO USE EXTREME CAUTION IF YOU ARE PURCHASING COINS FROM UNKNOWN SOURCES! “BUYER BEWARE” MEANS MORE TODAY THAN IT EVER DID BEFORE!
The “HOBBY PROTECTION ACT”
Here are the “RULES and REGULATIONS” as written in the Act which was originally approved in 1973 and subsequently ammended. NOTE: “Sec. 304.6 Marking requirements for imitation numismatic items”.
[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 16, Volume 1, Parts 0 to 999]
[Revised as of January 1, 1998]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 16CFR304]
TITLE 16–COMMERCIAL PRACTICES
CHAPTER I–FEDERAL TRADE COMMISSION
PART 304–RULES AND REGULATIONS UNDER THE HOBBY PROTECTION ACT–Table of Contents
Sec.
304.1 Terms defined.
304.2 General requirement.
304.3 Applicability.
304.4 Application of other law or regulation.
304.5 Marking requirements for imitation political items.
304.6 Marking requirements for imitation numismatic items.
(a) Act means the Hobby Protection Act (approved November 29, 1973;
Pub. L. 93-167, 87 Stat. 686, (15 U.S.C. 2101 et seq.)).
(b) Commerce has the same meanings as such term has under the
Federal Trade Commission Act.
(c) Commission means the Federal Trade Commission.
(d) Imitation numismatic item means an item which purports to be,
but in fact is not, an original numismatic item or which is a
reproduction, copy, or counterfeit of an original numismatic item. Such
term includes an original numismatic item which has been altered or
modified in such a manner that it could reasonably purport to be an
original numismatic item other than the one which was altered or
modified. The term shall not include any re-issue or re-strike of any
original numismatic item by the United States or any foreign government.
(e) Imitation political item means an item which purports to be, but
in fact is not, an original political item, or which is a reproduction,
copy or counterfeit of an original item.
(f) Original numismatic item means anything which has been a part of
a coinage or issue which has been used in exchange or has been used to
commemorate a person, object, place, or event. Such term includes coins,
tokens, paper money, and commemorative medals.
(g) Original political item means any political button, poster,
literature, sticker, or any advertisement produced for use in any
political cause.
(h) Person means any individual, group, association, partnership, or
any other business entity.
(i) Regulations means any or all regulations prescribed by the
Federal Trade Commission pursuant to the Act.
(j) United States means the States, the District of Columbia, and
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.
(k) Diameter of a reproduction means the length of the longest
possible straight line connecting two points on the perimeter of the
reproduction.
[40 FR 5496, Feb. 6, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 38942, Oct. 4, 1988]
Sec. 304.2 General requirement.
Imitation political or numismatic items subject to the Act shall be
marked in conformity with the requirements of the Act and the
regulations promulgated thereunder. Any violation of these regulations
shall constitute a violation of the Act and of the Federal Trade
Commission Act.
Sec. 304.3 Applicability.
Any person engaged in the manufacturing, or importation into the
United States for introduction into or distribution in commerce, of
imitation political or imitation numismatic items shall be subject to
the requirements of the Act and the regulations promulgated thereunder.
Sec. 304.4 Application of other law or regulation.
The provisions of these regulations are in addition to, and not in
substitution for or limitation of, the provisions of any other law or
regulation of the United States (including the existing statutes and
regulations prohibiting the reproduction of genuine currency) or of the
law or regulation of any State.
Sec. 304.5 Marking requirements for imitation political items.
(a) An imitation political item which is manufactured in the United
States, or imported into the United States for introduction into or
distribution in commerce, shall be plainly and permanently marked with
the calendar year in which such item was manufactured.
(b) The calendar year shall be marked upon the item legibly,
conspicuously and nondeceptively, and in accordance with the further
requirements of these regulations.
(1) The calendar year shall appear in arabic numerals, shall be
based upon the Gregorian calendar and shall consist of four digits.
(2) The calendar year shall be marked on either the obverse or the
reverse surface of the item. It shall not be marked on the edge of the
item.
(3) An imitation political item of incusable material shall be
incused with the calendar year in sans-serif numerals. Each numeral
shall have a vertical dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0
mm) and a minimum depth of three-tenths of one millimeter (0.3 mm) or
one-half (1/2) the thickness of the reproduction, whichever is the
lesser. The minimum total horizontal
dimension for the four numerals composing the calendar year shall be six
millimeters (6.0 mm).
(4) An imitation political button, poster, literature, sticker, or
advertisement composed of nonincusable material shall be imprinted with
the calendar year in sans-serif numerals. Each numeral shall have a
vertical dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0 mm). The
minimum total horizontal dimension of the four numerals composing the
calendar year shall be six millimeters (6.0 mm).
Sec. 304.6 Marking requirements for imitation numismatic items.
(a) An imitation numismatic item which is manufactured in the United
States, or imported into the United States for introduction into or
distribution in commerce, shall be plainly and permanently marked
“COPY”.
(b) The word “COPY” shall be marked upon the item legibly,
conspicuously, and nondeceptively, and in accordance with the further
requirements of these regulations.
(1) The word “COPY” shall appear in capital letters, in the
English language.
(2) The word “COPY” shall be marked on either the obverse or the
reverse surface of the item. It shall not be marked on the edge of the
item.
(3) An imitation numismatic item of incusable material shall be
incused with the word “COPY” in sans-serif letters having a vertical
dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0 mm) or not less than
one-sixth of the diameter of the reproduction, and a minimum depth of
three-tenths of one millimeter (0.3 mm) or to one-half (\1/2\) the
thickness of the reproduction, whichever is the lesser. The minimum
total horizontal dimension of the word “COPY” shall be six millimeters
(6.0 mm) or not less than one-half of the diameter of the reproduction.
(4) An imitation numismatic item composed of nonincusable material
shall be imprinted with the word “COPY” in sans-serif letters having a
vertical dimension of not less than two millimeters (2.0 mm) or not less
than one-sixth of the diameter of the reproduction. The minimum total
horizontal dimension of the word “COPY” shall be six millimeters (6.0
mm) or not less than one-half of the diameter of the reproduction.
[40 FR 5496, Feb. 6, 1975, as amended at 53 FR 38942, Oct. 4, 1988]
Let’s start in the year where the Lincoln Cent began, 1909. Many times when I discover a cent dated 1909 or 1909 VDB, it is in Very Good-8 (VG-8) condition or better. I think that, as we do today, many people saved a few examples of the then new Lincoln cent issue thinking that they will be worth something someday.
1909 Lincoln Cent - WORN, DAMAGED and CORRODED
Consequently, while roll searching I have found a wide range of conditions of 1909 and 1909 Lincoln, VDB cents and although most would be graded as Very Good-8 (VG-8) or better the conditions vary from a low of About Good-3 (AG-3) to a high grade of Mint State-65 (MS-65).
1909 VDB Lincoln Cent - Mint State-65 (MS-65)
As we get past the first year where things can be a little skewed due to hoarding, I see a great many of the earlier dated Lincoln cents that are “worn to the bone”, so to speak. A little research indicates that during the early days of the Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent, a cent (penny) actually had some buying power.
Wheat Ears Lincoln Cent - Heavily Worn
Based upon the information found at this local Washington web source,
you could purchase the following items in the State of Washington during the years listed. I am sure that these numbers would be comparable anywhere else in the country.
1910 - Children’s underwear is 20 cents each, a man’s shirt is 95 cents, a work shirt is 38 cents and a suit is $30.00. A five bedroom cottage is listed at $1500.00.
1911 - A pound of baking soda costs 25 cents.
1912 - Sunday dinner at the cafe in the New Wilson Hotel (the most modern hostelry in the area of Anacortes, WA) is 50 cents and the menu includes relishes, soup, sole, chips, peas, apple fritters, and mutton in caper sauce, spring chicken, beef tenderloin or prime rib veal.
1914 - An eight-reel movie show is 10 cents for children and 20 cents for adults. James O’Neal stars in Dumas’ “The Count of Monte Cristo” at the Empire Theater. Charles Chaplin was a favorite of the time.
Steak is 18 cents a pound and prime rib roast 16 cents a pound. Two big cans of pineapple are 35 cents.
1917 - Hamburger steak is 2 pounds for 25 cents at the Anacortes Market. City workers earn $2.50 a day for street workers.
1918 -Sauerkraut is 15 cents for a large can and an Anacortes to Seattle roundtrip on a steamer costs $2.50.
Back in 1910, a dollar in your wallet would buy you 20 Coca-Cola’s or even a real, film camera from a drug store. You could purchase a six-room cottage in the Island Park area of Fargo, North Dakota for just under $2000.00!
The same source concentrating on what can be purchased for a cent (penny) in the 1940s indicates, “one [cent] could buy bubble gum, licorice candy, jaw breakers, peppermint sticks, grab bags, a small bag of pop corn or salty peanuts, a candy bar or a lollipop, frozen cubes of orange flavored ice called Dainties or a cup filled to the rim with lemon flavored shaved ice. You could also use a penny to buy peanut butter taffy and many other marvelous tasting morsels”.
In the forties, “Children could try their luck on a cent punch board, 100 chances on a board for a penny apiece. The holder of the winning number sometimes received a beautiful doll or a pair of roller skates. A row of penny vending machines lined up against a wall paid off in tin trinkets or a variety of candies”. Also mentioned, “The arcade buildings at carnivals or country fairs featured all kinds of penny activities. At movie viewing machines, one could see Charlie Chaplin or Krazy Kat flicks for a penny. For two pennies, one could ride the Merry-Go-Round”.
MY FIRST CONCLUSION IS THAT THE CENT (PENNY) REALLY HAD SOME BUYING POWER AND IT ACTUALLY CIRCULATED.
NEXT….
My observations on wear seem to fit a pattern related to the mintage figures of the coins. The images are designed to help with bolstering up my observations.
1913 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
I see a lot of wear on most of the one cent coins that I find that are dated from 1910 through 1919. I think that stems from high consumer use and mintage figures that are small when compared to today’s mintage figures. I can easily imagine that this Lincoln cent dated 1913 with a mintage total of just more than 76.5 million pieces was used very heavily as the wear due to circulation is quite extreme.
1919 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
The mintage figure for this 1919 Philadelphia Mint cent which was high by the standards of the time with more than 392 million pieces is dwarfed by the number of cents manufactured at the Denver Mint facility in 1969 with more than 4 billion pieces from that mint alone. It seems that as we exit the “teen years” and head into the “twenties”, I notice that the conditions of older Lincoln Cents begins to improve.
So for the period of 1909 to 1919, it seems that a finite and smaller number of coins circulated heavily and as a consequence wore out to a greater degree than the cents to come.
I generally see less wear on the cents of the 1920s as each year of mintage, although still not in huge numbers adds to the previous year’s supply of cents. With more cents in circulation, there has to be less wear per coin as more coins are passing through the hands of the public. Although still quite worn, these are not as worn as some of the earlier Lincoln cents.
1926 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
By the time we get to the 1930s, the economy was such a mess that coins probably did not circulate as much, consequently I see even less wear on coins of the thirties. There seems to me to be a real turning point somewhere in the 1935/1936 range as I see even less wear on cents of those years and the conditions of wheat ears cents improves dramatically from that point on. Again, I feel that more coins added to the overall pool of cents in circulation would lower the amount of circulation wear on a per coin basis.
1936 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
The Mint keeps churning away and in 1941 alone, all three mints churn out more than a billion cents in total. In 1944 and 1945, The Philadelphia Mint produces more than a billion coins each and that doesn’t include cents produced at the Denver and San Francisco Mints during those years. This 1940 cent is pretty typical of many of the 1940s era cents that I have found over the years.
1940 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
The supply of cents in circulation is exploding. As a result, I think we see less wear on coins of the forties which also effects the amount of wear on coins of the thirties since there are more one cent coins circulating. This 1944 cent has more wear than any other cent of the forties that I could find in my collection of circulation find “wheaties”.
1944 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent - More Wear Than Most
NOW…
Let’s move into the beginnings of what I think is “our era”, the fifties. Many of us started to collect coins in the fifties and sixties. Without going into the specifics of mintage figures, it is safe to say that billions of cents were added to the streams of commerce from 1950 to 1958, with the latter date being the last year of issue of the Lincoln Wheat Ears cents. I would say that the amount of wear on most of the cents of the fifties that I still find in circulation is comparable to the 1958 cent shown here.
1958 Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
That influx of cents into circulation alone would slow down the wear on the newer coins at that time. Keep in mind that in 1955, a 1935 cent would have been circulating for only 20 years and probably not being used to the extent of any coins still circulating and dated in the teens. Cents minted from 1909 through 1919 were more heavily used in the first place as they purchased more and by 1955, any 1915 cent for example if found in circulation has now been in circulation for forty years. Find that same 1915 dated cent in 1965 and it has been in the streams of commerce for fifty years.
SO…MY NEXT CONCLUSION IS THAT WE REMEMBER SEEING THOSE REALLY WORN CENTS THAT WE MAY HAVE EVEN PULLED FROM CIRCULATION AND THEY WERE WORN DUE TO AGE AND THE AMOUNT OF SERVICE THEY PROVIDED TO CONSUMERS IN THEIR LIFETIMES.
ENTER…THE LINCOLN MEMORIAL REVERSE CENT
During this period, inflation was rising and the cent began to lose its buying power. As a kid in the late fifties and early sixties, I remember being able to buy “Bazooka” bubble gum for a penny, I remember gumball machines that took pennies and I remember getting two cents back as the “deposit” on a bottle of “Coke”. The cent was beginning to lose it’s value and I remember “pitching pennies” against the back wall of the church behind my house. I don’t remember much of anything else in the late fifties or early sixties that could be done with a cent. Even the arcade machines at Coney Island were upgraded to take nickels although I remember just a few left that used “pennies” as I used to try to beat my brother out to get to those machines before he could. My favorite penny arcade machine had a Popeye cartoon in it.
1960 D Lincoln Memorial Reverse Cent - Large Date Variety
ENTER…THE COIN COLLECTOR!
In the period from the forties to the sixties, there was more of an awareness by the general public that some coins could be valuable. I have a copy of B. Max Mehl’s, The Star Rare Coin Encyclopedia printed in 1944. That small book gave the general public the information needed to find scarce coins in circulation as well as the information needed to identify rare coins that may have been stashed away in grandpa’s old trunk up in the attic. I also still have my old copy of a “Checklist of Coins” for Library of Coins Albums that I got from Gimbel’s Coin Departrment when they were in the Roosevelt Field Shopping Center in Westbury, NY. I remember seeing advertisements in comic books and other places where they would essentially be asking the general public about discovering valuable coins that could be found in circulation that were worth something to collectors. If you found one of those “rare” coins, they were buying. As a kid, I remember seeing CoinWorld and in the late sixties, I would go to the public library to read the copies that they received. I usually had to wait for someone to put down the copy of the magazine before I could read it as the interest in coins seemed to be quite high.
As the Memorial Cent made its debut in 1959, people began to hoard Lincoln Wheat Ears cents further reducing the degradation of those coins. Many casual coin collectors as well as the “general public” had the impression that the old “Wheaties” were going to become rare and valuable. In fact though, a great many of the post 1955 cents that I find are still in excellent condition. This 1958 D cent is an example of one that has not aged too badly at all and yet is is worth about fifteen cents in today’s market.
1958 D Lincoln Wheat Ears Cent
Unfortunately, the 1958 D Lincoln Wheat Ears cents that the public started piling away along with many other cents never got to be worth much. Since people like us who were interested in older coins would be more conscious of the Wheat cents that we found in circulation. We would notice that the older ones from the 1909 through 1919 era that we found were really worn out due most likely to the reasons that I suggested above.
OK…WHY IS THERE LITTLE WEAR ON MEMORIAL CENTS?
I think that this is a result of an unbelievable number of cents being placed into circulation, in combination with a lower buying power causing the actual circulation of the coins to diminish. Even doing “bad math” I come up with around 4 trillion cents produced between 1959 and today. Also, I can’t think of anything that I can buy for a cent. Even the gumball machines that in years past used “pennies” require a quarter dollar in order to get a small bit of gum or some kind of tiny novelty item. An overabundance of cents and no circulation equals no wear.
A Random Roll of Cents That Was Recently Opened
For kicks, I took a picture of a roll of cents I had that I just got from the bank two weeks ago. I looked through the roll and I then photographed four cents, dated in the 1980s that had emerged from that roll. The 1983 D cents are 26 years old and the other two are around 20 years old. They are still in Mint State (MS) condition.
This, to me is further proof of limited use and circulation on the part of the Lincoln cent. It is my experience that banks and credit unions are not even ordering cents to the extent that they did years ago. Even store owners like Starbucks and convenience stores recycle cents in their “take a penny” containers so that there is less of a need to use “pennies” as change.
SO…LESS CIRCULATION, LESS NEED FOR CENTS AND THE RESULT IS THAT LINCOLN MEMORIAL REVERSE CENTS STILL LOOK PRETTY DARN GOOD WHEN THEY ARE FOUND IN CIRCULATION.
While searching through rolls of cents obtained at his local bank, collector Richard J. Ziegler of Quincy, Massachusetts discovered what may be one of the most exciting Lincoln cent die varieties to emerge in recent times. In fact, Charles Daughtrey, owner of the website www.coppercoins.com, numismatic author and noted expert on Lincoln cents suggests that this may be one of the best Lincoln cent die varieties to be discovered during the past twenty years! I strongly agree!
It was a combination of events that led to the discovery of this coin being made public. Bobby Minnich and Susan Thornton owners of the Coin Community website found at http://www.coincommunity.com host an internet coin forum. Their website and forum have been in existence since February 1, 2005. The Coin Community discussion board is a friendly place where many facets of the numismatic hobby are routinely discussed. Members of the forum are invited to post photographs of their coins and in the interest of education, ask questions about them. One of the discussion boards and the one that happens to be my favorite is the “U.S.(United States) Variety and Error Coin Forum”. The coin seen here, first came to my attention on Sept 11, 2007 when a post by Mr.Ziegler (Ziggy9) was added to the U.S. Variety and Error section. The initial pictures of the coin in question that appeared in the post were done on a flatbed scanner. It was for that reason that the details were not clear enough to identify anything particularly special about the coin. It was later that same day when higher resolution pictures were taken and posted that the importance of this discovery became known. As soon as I saw the first picture, I had a feeling that this was an undiscovered and unlisted die variety. In fact, a major contributor by way of his answering many questions that appear on the Coin Community forums, Charles Daughtrey confirmed this. His comment; “At present, this 1982 DDR (Doubled Die Reverse) is UNIQUE! Only this piece has ever been reported in any way. I have checked all references and it simply doesn’t exist in print or on the web. That’s about to change!” Based upon the photo seen here, again I fully agree!
E PLURIBUS UNUM
A coin collector during his childhood, Richard Ziegler states that he hadn’t looked at his coins in many years. It was while taking an inventory of a rather large collection of coins given by his mother-in-law to his three children, that his interest in numismatics as a hobby was rekindled. In pursuing his hobby Richard began to include searching through ten to twenty rolls of cents each week. It was in July of this year while Richard was sitting in his den looking through his recently acquired rolls with his 10X jewelers loupe that he made this startling discovery. As he describes the event, “It was the wide spread of the doubling as seen on the E of UNITED that first caught my attention”. Examining the rest of the coin other extreme doubling was readily apparent. The motto, E PLURIBUS UNUM exhibits remarkable doubling to the East and slightly South of the primary lettering. This lucky roll searcher and coin collector from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts had discovered a most amazing example of a 1982 Doubled Die Reverse Lincoln cent! How this die variety remained unknown for 25 years is a mystery to me!
TED of UNITED STATES of AMERICA
In 1982, the United States Mint was in the process of changing the metallic composition of the cent. Along the way, the Mint also changed master dies which resulted in the production of Large Date as well as Small Date varieties of Lincoln cents. The four varieties struck on copper planchets, weighing 3.11 grams and composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc are the 1982 (Philadelphia Mint) Large Date, 1982 Small Date, 1982D (Denver Mint) Large Date, and the 1982S (San Francisco Mint)Proof version.
Also struck were four varieties on Copper-Plated Zinc planchets with a core composed of 99.2% zinc and 0.8% copper which was then plated with pure copper. Included are the 1982 Large Date, 1982 Small Date, 1982D Large Date and 1982D Small Date. Weighing in at approximately 2.5 grams which is the correct weight for a Copper-Plated Zinc composition cent, this 1982 Doubled Die Reverse cent was struck at the Philadelphia Mint on a Copper-Plated Zinc planchet. The approximate grade of this cent is AU-58 RB and it is an early-mid die state (EMDS) example.
This coin exhibits what is known as “Offset Hub Doubling”. Also described as a Class IV Doubled Die, While class IV doubling is scarce as a type, this has no reflection on the scarcity of this variety but I feel that this die variety is likely to be quite scarce. For a Class IV Doubled Die to occur, an impression is made by a hub into a die. The die is then removed from the hubbing press, is annealed and then returned to the press. If at this point the centers of the hub and the die are offset from one another, a subsequent impression into the die will be off-center. This off-centered (offset) alignment between the hub and the die will result in the creation of a die where all the doubling will be in one direction. Thus the term “Offset Hub Doubling”. Coins struck by that die will also exhibit doubling with a spread that is in one direction. The well known 1983 Doubled Die Reverse, Lincoln cent (Die#1) is a classic example of a Class IV Doubled Die.
One of the first people to see the pictures of this discovery coin other than Mr. Ziegler, Charles Daughtrey and this author was noted numismatist, Dr. James Wiles. As the Attributer of 20th Century United States Die Varieties for the Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America (CONECA), Dr. Wiles attributed this coin as being the first known of this die variety. In an email to Mr. Daughtrey, J.T. Stanton, Bob Piazza (Attributer with Charles Daughtrey at coppercoins.com), Richard Ziegler and myself, Dr. Wiles comments, “Very nice!!! I have listed it in the CONECA files as DDR-001, 1-R-IV, stage B, EMDS as per your (Charles Daughtrey’s) observations. Thanks for taking the initiative and letting us know about such an important discovery”. As Dr. Wiles explained this numerical system to me, DDR-001 is the first Doubled Die Reverse for a 1982 dated Philadelphia struck cent. 1-R-IV translates into Die#1, Reverse, Class IV Doubled Die. Stage B indicates the second stage in the die life sequence (A, B, C) with Stage B used to describe a Mid Die State coin. EMDS is a little more specific and describes an Early Mid Die State strike.
Strong doubling is also very easy to see on the R of AMERICA.
R of AMERICA
Additionally, well known attributers Bill Crawford, John Wexler, J.T. Stanton and Ken Potter have also looked at the images of this coin and proclaimed it to be the discovery coin of a new, Lincoln cent, doubled die variety.
There are several systems in use to label and identify Lincoln cent die varieties so Mr. Daughtrey has cross referenced the attribution numbers as follows:
1982P DDR-001 (1-R-IV) (CONECA, Combined Organizations of Numismatic Error Collectors of America)
FS 1982-01-801 (J.T. Stanton, “Cherrypickers’ Guide to Rare Die Varieties”)
1982P WDDR-001 (John Wexler, NCADD, The National Collectors Association of Die Doubling)
1982P CDDR-001 (Bill Crawford)
1982P VCR#7/DDR#1 (Ken Potter)
Congratulations and Thanks go to Richard Zeigler from the entire numismatic community for his Fantastic discovery of this 1982 Doubled Die Reverse Lincoln cent! Thanks also, to all the above mentioned individuals for the speed at which they responded to emails and phone calls. Thanks go especially to Mr. Charles Daughtrey for his photographs and hard work with respect to the research involved in declaring this coin a New Discovery! This writer truly enjoyed the close cooperation between all the parties involved as this was a picture of numismatics at its best!
The best way to get started is to pick up a few rolls of coins the next time you go to your local bank or credit union. As suggested in a previous “class”, it is a good idea to call the bank ahead of your arrival to request rolled coins.
There is a small amount of paperwork that needs to be done by a teller to transfer coins to their window. The transfer is sometimes done from the vault to the teller or from one teller to another. In any case, it is best not to just walk in and ask for an unusual number of rolled coins. Being a thoughtful and courteous roll searcher, it is important that you never take a teller by surprise with your request for coins. Ultimately, you want to have the bank look forward to your transaction and never look upon you as a nuisance.
Old Style Coin Bag
Always be sure to bring along a bag of some sort so that you can carry your coins out to your vehicle.
In the past when the Mint used to supply loose coins in bags, it was common to get a few of these from a bank now and then. It is what I now use to carry rolls of coins in. Since they are no longer used by the Mint, they have actually become collectors items in their own right.
Keep in mind that there are only so many rolls of halves, for example that you can carry in your pocket before you run into serious trouble. I’ll leave that picture up to your own imagination.
Since coin bags like the one shown will probably not be available, I might suggest an easy to obtain, nylon shopping bag for carrying your rolled coins.
Above all, always be cautious and remain diligent when returning to your vehicle. Carrying any amount of rolled coins can be hazardous if there are any unscrupulous persons in the area.
KEEP AN EYE OUT FOR NON-UNITED STATES COINAGE!
Over the years, I’ve found well over five thousand coins that are from countries other than the United States! Coins like the ones below from Fiji, Venezuela, Switzerland, The Kingdom of The Netherlands, and the former Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia were all found while searching through rolls of what should have been all United States issued coins.
Non-United States coins
You may also find coins such as the one seen below. The Euro is currently the legal tender used by 15 of the European Union Countries. Some territories of those countries also circulate the Euro. Other countries have agreements with some of the issuing countries to use these coins as well. They all share a design on one side. This is the common side of all the 1 EURO pieces that are minted.
A One Euro Coin
Found on the other side of the coin is an identifying National symbol. This One Euro coin, dated 2002 was issued by Italy.
A Euro of Italy
Keep it pleasant and you can find all kinds of coins as you search through rolls!
Since this might be your very first stop on the way to becoming a seasoned Roll Searcher, I thought that it might be a good idea to start from the very beginning. This article will focus on some of the things that you will need to begin your roll searching activities!
You already have one of the basic pieces of equipment needed to have fun searching through rolls of coins. Looking through rolls in order to pick out specific coins by their dates and mint marks can be a lot of fun and to do that you can simply use your own eyes. They are some of the best tools ever devised. Here comes one of them now!
The Human Eye
If, like me you are beyond the age where your eyes can reliably tell the difference between a three and an eight or pick up the distinction between the mint marks D and an S, then it might be necessary for some optical assistance, as I like to call it. When using any of the various forms of “Optical Assistance”, a numeral followed by an X indicates the amount of magnification provided. A 2X lens magnifies to two times the original size, a 4X lens magnifies to four times the original size and so on.
My arsenal includes the following items:
A 2X Hand Lens with a small 4X portal built into the lens. The 2X portion helps to check out the date on each coin, while the 2X portion of the lens is great to determine what the mint mark is.
I have several jeweler’s loupes. One is a simple 8X lens and the other is a multi-lens system that is 8x or 18X depending upon whether the smaller lens is connected to the system. The portion with the smaller lens screws on and off and is quite easy to use. The higher magnification is acheived when both lenses are used together.
Next is an unusual 18X loupe. It is unusual in that it is longer than my other loupes. It does a very nice job of magnifying the very small details while filtering out unwanted light. I use this one more than any other while searching for rare die varieties. I won it at an auction about ten years ago and I have not seen another one since. I can’t tell you where to get one like it.
I occasionally use a lighted, 30X pocket microscope.
Magnifying Glasses and Loupes
SOME HELPFUL ROLL SEARCHING TIPS
1) Call the bank before you make a trip to pick up coins.
2) Ask for whatever coins you might be interested in and do not forget to ask for unusual coins like large sized dollars.
3) If rolls of coins are available, try to aproximate the time that you think you will arrive at the bank to pick up some rolled coins.
4) If one bank doesn’t have extra rolls of coins available, call another one and ask them if they might have any.
5) Set up more than one account. You should try to use different banks so that you can bring coins back to a bank other than the one you are getting your coins from.
I am sometimes asked if any of the “Big Ones” ever turn up when I am searching through rolls. Collectors really want to know if any of the known, classic rarities are ever found as I am in pursuit of valuable coins as I search through rolls of coins that I obtain from local banks. My answer to this question is a resounding, YES, THEY ARE FOUND !!! and it is truly a FUN feeling of excitement when a fantastic find emerges from inside a roll of what should be very common coins!
In October of 2007, I was looking through some rolls of nickels that I had recently acquired from a local bank. The first unusual coin to emerge was a dateless Indian Head five-cent piece. I always get a kick out of finding any obsolete coinage in a roll so I was already grinning from ear to ear. The fact that this piece was dateless really didn’t matter to me, it was still fun!
What happened next was even more exciting! Also known as Buffalo nickels, another 1936 dated specimen was found in a roll. So, now there were two of these obsolete type coins on my table. Finally a third Buffalo nickel was found and it was dated 1937 D (Denver Mint). The mintmark, D can be found below the words FIVE CENTS in the exergue on the reverse of the coin.
1937 D Indian Head (Buffalo) Nickel - Mintmark
The 1937 D Indian head or Buffalo five-cent piece is famous for a very particular rarity. That is, of course, a coin known as the Three-legged Buffalo five cent piece. In the process of preparing or repairing a die, the die in the area of one of the bison’s legs was abraded in such away that the defining edges of the legs were merged into the field of the coin. The end result is that on the struck coin, the leg seems to have been removed.
I turned the coin in order to take a closer look at the reverse and I couldn’t believe my eyes! It sure looked to me like this Buffalo(Bison)was standing on three legs.
1937 D Three-Legged Buffalo Nickel
The next thing I had to do was to determine if this coin was genuine or one of many fakes that have been manufactured. Normal 1937 D nickels are often encountered that have been tampered with to make it appear as though the Buffalo had a leg missing.
Small Raised Diagnostic Marks
The first thing to look for as a diagnostic marker on a genuine coin is what looks like a line of raised dots from the middle of the bison’s belly to the ground. Not to sound crass, it is sometimes refered to as a peeing buffalo. This coin has the raised dots so I was halfway home on this one. The next thing to check is the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM seen above the buffaloes back. On a genuine example, the P of PLURIBUS and the U of UNUM do not touch the upper portion of the animal.
1937 D Three Legged Buffalo Nickel - E PLURIBUS UNUM
All the diagnostic markers were present on this coin and they were easy to identify as the coin is in Extremely Fine condition. Although I’ve been able to find some pretty amazing die varieties as I search through rolls of coins, I never expected that I could find this rarity in a roll of nickels that came from a local bank.
This coin was indeed the rare 1937 D Three-Legged Buffalo Nickel! I had hit the JACKPOT!
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