Bright And Shiny 1968 Penny What's The Story?

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 258
Echo1711 New Member United States 45 Posts	Posted 04/08/2026 6:34 pm I found 2 of these while hunting the other day. I've never found anything like them before. They are both very shiny but seam to be missing some detail, especially on the obverse. I am trying to learn so please help. Are they legit, cleaned, or just weak strikes. How can I tell if they grade better or worse that a duller penny with better detail like is currently in my collection. Thank you in advance. Report this Post to the Staff

mrwhatisit Pillar of the Community United States 2950 Posts	Posted 04/08/2026 7:57 pm Hi Echo1711... Long story short from what I have heard: The master dies for minting cents by 1968 were getting rather worn down (primary reason was the last 3 years of no mintmarks on all denominations and led to worn dies especially on the cent) and therefore have a noticeable weakness of strike as your coins show. So you could have a gorgeous MS-65 or higher graded 1968 cent but more than likely has a very incomplete mushy strike due to the dies being quite worn down. In 1969, the master dies were reworked for the cent, and therefore if you compare 1968 with 1969 cents, you will see a noticeable difference in strike with the 1969 cents usually very well sruck. Report this Post to the Staff
Marv65 Bedrock of the Community United States 10470 Posts	Posted 04/08/2026 9:17 pm Funny thing - I find a few Nice Looking 1968 cents while roll hunting - not good enough to grade obviously, but great for that old of a cent. Probably because so many were minted at both facilities: Philly: 1.7 Billion Denver: 2.9 Billion And there were so many Billions of cents minted before them people just couldn't spend them fast enough.......... Report this Post to the Staff
Errers and Varietys Bedrock of the Community United States 73559 Posts	Posted 04/08/2026 9:32 pm Mrwhatisit nailed it. Errers and Varietys. Report this Post to the Staff
BadThad Bedrock of the Community United States 19930 Posts	Posted 04/09/2026 12:59 am Nice finds! Look to be MS red still. We were still using the 1909 master hub in 1968! It was horrible so the dies came out like this. It's just how they look. A new master hub was put into service in 1969 so those coins look very different from the 1968's. Lincoln Cent Lover! VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/ Report this Post to the Staff
Echo1711 New Member United States 45 Posts	Posted 04/09/2026 07:59 am Thank you for the information everyone. I learned a lot, and appreciate you taking the time. Report this Post to the Staff
Earle42 Bedrock of the Community United States 10029 Posts	Posted 04/09/2026 09:45 am Agreed - last date the master hub was used from 1909. Take a look at pennies leading up to 1969 and you can see this. Starting in '69 there is an obvious difference when put side by side with pennies like yours. How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halves https://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 6 / Views: 258

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