Posted 03/30/2025 8:12 pm
And a 
from the rest of us!
This CCF of ours is a rather large, global network of all sorts of collectors from tiny collections to massive collections.
I'd rather say to collect what you like and gravitate towards in this hobby.
with nickelsearcher above; he has some good points.
On your inheritance, I can give you a short list of the better dates to look for.
Lincoln Wheat cents: mintmark is always below the date, no mintmark is always Philadelphia, D is for Denver, and S is for San Francisco, and this series is 1909-1958 dated.
Key dates: 1909-S-VDB (the designers initials on the 1909 cents would be on the wheat side/reverse at the very bottom), then the 1909-S, 1914-D, and 1931-S.
Semi-keys and better dates are many, like the 1910-1915 with mintmarks, 1921-S, 1922-D, 1923-S, 1924-D and S, 1926-S, 1931-D, and 1933-D round out the early Wheat cents.
(To note, there are several nuances involved such as condition of the coin, eye appeal, etc.)
Buffalo nickels: mintmark is always on the Buffalo side between the words FIVE CENTS at the bottom.
Key dates: 1913-D and S type 2, 1914-D, 1915-S, 1917-S, 1919-D, 1921-S, 1924-S, 1926-S, and 1931-S.
The better dates are also many, the 1913 type 1 both mints, and the rest of the teens mintmarked are generally better. 1920-D and S, 1924-D, 1925-D and S, 1926-D should round out this series.
Kennedy half dollars in 1964 are all 90% silver and are generally quite collectable due to the silver content. The Kennedy half's dated 1965-1970 are all 40% silver with the 1970 dated ones being better dates since these were only issued in sets.
The Indian cents are interesting as this series began in 1859, ended 1909.
Key dates are 1877, 1909-S, 1908-S, and 1872.
Semi-keys and better dates are 1861, 1864-L (L on ribbon stands for the designer Longacre), 1866-1871, 1873-1876, 1878, 1879, 1894, and 1909. For the 1908-S and 1909-S, the mintmark is always on the reverse below the wreath.
And the Mercury (1916-1945, mintmark is always on the reverse after the word ONE and to the left of the Fasces) dimes (aka Winged Liberty) keys are few, the really big one is the 1916-D, then 1926-S. Semi-keys include many of the other teens and twenties with mintmarks, and the 1931-D and S.
On the foreign, you would have to show us your favorites.
from the rest of us!This CCF of ours is a rather large, global network of all sorts of collectors from tiny collections to massive collections.
I'd rather say to collect what you like and gravitate towards in this hobby.
with nickelsearcher above; he has some good points.On your inheritance, I can give you a short list of the better dates to look for.
Lincoln Wheat cents: mintmark is always below the date, no mintmark is always Philadelphia, D is for Denver, and S is for San Francisco, and this series is 1909-1958 dated.
Key dates: 1909-S-VDB (the designers initials on the 1909 cents would be on the wheat side/reverse at the very bottom), then the 1909-S, 1914-D, and 1931-S.
Semi-keys and better dates are many, like the 1910-1915 with mintmarks, 1921-S, 1922-D, 1923-S, 1924-D and S, 1926-S, 1931-D, and 1933-D round out the early Wheat cents.
(To note, there are several nuances involved such as condition of the coin, eye appeal, etc.)
Buffalo nickels: mintmark is always on the Buffalo side between the words FIVE CENTS at the bottom.
Key dates: 1913-D and S type 2, 1914-D, 1915-S, 1917-S, 1919-D, 1921-S, 1924-S, 1926-S, and 1931-S.
The better dates are also many, the 1913 type 1 both mints, and the rest of the teens mintmarked are generally better. 1920-D and S, 1924-D, 1925-D and S, 1926-D should round out this series.
Kennedy half dollars in 1964 are all 90% silver and are generally quite collectable due to the silver content. The Kennedy half's dated 1965-1970 are all 40% silver with the 1970 dated ones being better dates since these were only issued in sets.
The Indian cents are interesting as this series began in 1859, ended 1909.
Key dates are 1877, 1909-S, 1908-S, and 1872.
Semi-keys and better dates are 1861, 1864-L (L on ribbon stands for the designer Longacre), 1866-1871, 1873-1876, 1878, 1879, 1894, and 1909. For the 1908-S and 1909-S, the mintmark is always on the reverse below the wreath.
And the Mercury (1916-1945, mintmark is always on the reverse after the word ONE and to the left of the Fasces) dimes (aka Winged Liberty) keys are few, the really big one is the 1916-D, then 1926-S. Semi-keys include many of the other teens and twenties with mintmarks, and the 1931-D and S.
On the foreign, you would have to show us your favorites.
