What Are The Most Notorious Keys Out There?

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Author	Replies: 12 / Views: 1,653
USArmyParatrooper Pillar of the Community United States 1283 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 04:16 am I'm talking all denominations US Mint. And coins that cost in the hundreds or less in the lower grades. A couple obvious examples are the 1909-S VDB penny, 1955/55 penny, etc. I can name some others as well, like the 1921 Peace dollar, and a couple others. I basically want to compile a list of some of the most popular keys that aren't just for the rich and famous. Report this Post to the Staff

Benji Valued Member United States 459 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 04:26 am This should be start 1822 10c 1889CC $1 1916D Merc 10c 1893S $1 1877 1C Edit: Aren't all keys popular? Edited by Benji 06/11/2007 04:27 am Report this Post to the Staff
tights24 Pillar of the Community United States 2254 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 06:34 am Benji nailed quite a few good ones there. One thing I like to do is just page through the RedBook. You can easily pick out the keys and semi-keys as there is usually an extra decimal place. I also like focusing on the low mintage items. There are quite a few with equally low mintages that don't command the same premium as another. Not sure why, but maybe you can find a semi-key before it really is one!!!! That's what I'm hoping for. When it comes to commemoratives, I think mintage is the only factor, and it's also easy to scan in the RedBook. Report this Post to the Staff
Thundercoin Pillar of the Community United States 675 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 08:38 am I agree with what tights said about low mintage coins that are underpriced. I call these "PSK's- for potential semi-keys". These are probably coins that will go up a lot in value in the future. To add a little to the first poster's question- The biggest keys in the Walker series are 1921-D, 1921-P, 1938-D, 1916-S. Report this Post to the Staff
just carl Bedrock of the Community United States 20753 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 10:08 am Really strange but it sort of depends on the area from what I've found out from dealers that travel alot. An example is I have man sets of Lincoln Cents. #1 is all MS except a few. Naturally the 22Plain is one of those. However, the 1920D is just being elusive in MS grades around here. many dealers have told me they just can't find one. Here is my list of the rest: Lincoln Cents 09S VDB, 09S, 22Plain, 55 Double Die, 72 Double Die, Buffalo/Indian Head Nickels is naturally the 37 3legged one, Mercury dimes is the 16D,21, 21D, 42/41, 42D/41, 45 Micro S. Strange that the 31D is the 4th lowest mintage in the Merc's but has very little value. With quarters naturally the 32D and 32S Washingtons. Walking halves it is naturally the 21 and 21D and that 38D is coming up there also. There are many, many others in older types of coins but they are also becoming rare and really expensive. For example anyone just starting a Standing Liberty quarter will find all are just to expensive for a beginner. Report this Post to the Staff
Benji Valued Member United States 459 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 10:15 am USArmyParatrooper, A lot of "key date" coins can be obtained with relative ease. I have had the best luck when visiting B&Ms and asking if they have "key date XYZ" in low grade or damaged/problems. Many times these are not in the display case b/c they do not bring $$$. I check ebay, but low grade/problem keys usually go for problem free money (probably due to the convenience factor). Aside from the 93s I obtained each one of the coins in my aforementioned post for less than approx. $150/each all have graffiti, holed, PO01, or post mint planchet damage. Just contact fellow collectors or dealers and ask...you are bound to find cheap keys. Report this Post to the Staff
magusxxx Valued Member United States 306 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 11:59 am I have recently started collecting again after a 13 year abscence. I decided to get back into the swing of things by putting a Type set together. What I did was go through my old 1994 Red Book and mark down all of the low mintage coins which would cost under $100 in the lowest grade listed. When I bought the new Red Book I compared the prices to see how much more I'd be paying for them now. Here are the more interesting statistics. Coin / 2007 price / 1994 price / Increase 1909 VDB Penny/ $8 / $6 / 400% 1912S Nickel / $140 / $35 / 400% 1932S Quarter / $185 / $32 / 578% 1866 S No Motto Half Dollar / $225 / $45 / 500% 1899 Dollar / $120 / $30 / 400% And the grand-daddy of them all. 1914 Half Dollar / $150 / $18 / 833% (!!!!!) Report this Post to the Staff
TimJing Valued Member United States 346 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 12:07 pm Interesting finds, magusxxx. I have a '96 Red Book and I've compared the 2008 prices to the 1996 prices before. They're in many cases vastly different. For Lincoln Cent keys and semi keys, add the 1914-D and 1931-S. For Indian Head cents, add 1908-S and 1909-S. Report this Post to the Staff
Tykimeister Pillar of the Community United States 882 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 12:18 pm magusxxx, keep the list coming! Very interesting. I can't read my old coin magazines becuase I just end up kicking myself... Report this Post to the Staff
Munkyman95 New Member United States 15 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 12:32 pm 1928 Peace dollar 1950-D Jefferson nickel 1932-D Washington quarter Report this Post to the Staff
magusxxx Valued Member United States 306 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 12:38 pm I have it in spreadsheet format. And for some reason it won't copy percentages. So, you'll have to do a little conversion on your own. For instance, 1.5 would be 150%. Also the spacing didn't work correctly so I hope it's not that hard to read. Catagory / Wanted / 2007 / 1994 / Difference / Increase Half Cent 1793 / 1793 / 1200 / 750 / 450 / 1.6 1794-1797 / 1795 / 185 / 80 / 105 / 2.3125 1800-1808 / 1803 / 35 / 20 / 15 / 1.75 1809-1836 / 1832 / 50 / 30 / 20 / 1.6666666667 1840-1857 / 1857 / 65 / 55 / 10 / 1.1818181818 Large Cent 1793 (Chain) / 1793 / 2500 / 1100 / 1400 / 2.2727272727 1793 (Wreath) / 1793 / 600 / 400 / 200 / 1.5 1793-1796 / 1795 Ltd / 140 / 70 / 70 / 2 1796-1807 / 1806 / 32 / 15 / 17 / 2.1333333333 1808-1814 / 1811 / 45 / 25 / 20 / 1.8 1816-1839 / 1821 / 32 / 25 / 7 / 1.28 1839-1857 / 1857 / 55 / 25 / 30 / 2.2 Small Cent 1856-1858 / 1857 / 24 / 14 / 10 / 1.7142857143 1859 / 1859 / 15 / 7 / 8 / 2.1428571429 1860-1864 / 1861 / 22 / 14 / 8 / 1.5714285714 1864-1909 / 1908S / 65 / 22 / 43 / 2.9545454545 1909 VDB / 1909 VDB / 8 / 2 / 6 / 4 1909-1958 / 1931S / 70 / 32 / 38 / 2.1875 1943 Steel / 1943S / 0.4 / 0.3 / 0.1 / 1.3333333333 1959 to Date / 1968S / 0.15 / 0.1 / 0.05 / 1.5 Two Cent 1864-1873 / 1871 / 28 / 10 / 18 / 2.8 Three Cent 1865-1889 / 1883 / 175 / 125 / 50 / 1.4 1851-1853 / 1851O / 35 / 18 / 17 / 1.9444444444 1854-1858 / 1854 / 25 / 13.5 / 11.5 / 1.8518518519 1859-1873 / 1860 / 25 / 12 / 13 / 2.0833333333 Nickel 1866-1867 / 1867 / 35 / 15 / 20 / 2.3333333333 1867-1883 / 1873 cl 3 / 28 / 11 / 17 / 2.5454545455 1883 / No cents / 6 / 2.5 / 3.5 / 2.4 1883-1912 / 1912S / 140 / 35 / 105 / 4 1913 / Type ISVar1 / 38 / 11 / 27 / 3.4545454545 1913-1938 / 1926S / 18 / 6 / 12 / 3 1938 to Date / 1950D / 14 / 7 / 7 / 2 1942-1945 / 1943P / 1 / 0.5 / 0.5 / 2 Half Dime 1794-1795 / 1795 / 450 / 275 / 175 / 1.6363636364 1796-1797 / 1796 / 550 / 365 / 185 / 1.5068493151 1800-1805 / 1800 Liberty / 350 / 180 / 170 / 1.9444444444 1829-1837 / 1837 sm5c / 40 / 20 / 20 / 2 1837-1838 / 1838O noStars / 85 / 65 / 20 / 1.3076923077 1838-1860 / 1853 no arrows / 35 / 24 / 11 / 1.4583333333 1853-1855 / 1855O / 20 / 14 / 6 / 1.4285714286 1860-1873 / 1863 / 160 / 120 / 40 / 1.3333333333 Dime 1796-1797 / 1796 / 850 / 400 / 450 / 2.125 1798-1807 / 1805 / 225 / 200 / 25 / 1.125 1809-1828 / 1809 / 125 / 35 / 90 / 3.5714285714 1829-1837 / 1837 / 25 / 12 / 13 / 2.0833333333 1837-1838 / 1838O / 50 / 32 / 18 / 1.5625 1838-1860 / 1846 / 75 / 75 / 0 / 1 1853-1855 / 1853O / 18 / 7 / 11 / 2.5714285714 1860-1891 / 1879 / 200 / 135 / 65 / 1.4814814815 1873-1874 / 1874S / 25 / 20 / 5 / 1.25 1892-1916 / 1913S / 20 / 8 / 12 / 2.5 1916-1945 / 1921D / 75 / 30 / 45 / 2.5 1946 to Date / 1949S / 3 / 2 / 1 / 1.5 Twenty Cent 1875-1878 / 1876 / 185 / 85 / 100 / 2.1764705882 Quarter 1796 / 1796 / 5000 / 1500 / 3500 / 3.3333333333 1804-1807 / 1805 / 115 / 100 / 15 / 1.15 1815-1828 / 1822 / 40 / 25 / 15 / 1.6 1831-1838 / 1833 / 75 / 40 / 35 / 1.875 1838-1866 / 1865S / 85 / 50 / 35 / 1.7 1853-1855 / 1855O / 45 / 35 / 10 / 1.2857142857 1866-1891 / 1884 / 225 / 100 / 125 / 2.25 1873-1874 / 1873S / 35 / 20 / 15 / 1.75 1892-1916 / 1914S / 80 / 45 / 35 / 1.7777777778 1916-1917 / 1917D / 25 / 13 / 12 / 1.9230769231 1917-1930 / 1927S / 35 / 10 / 25 / 3.5 1932 to Date / 1932S / 185 / 32 / 153 / 5.78125 Half Dollar 1794-1795 / 1795 / 400 / 225 / 175 / 1.7777777778 1796-1797 / 1796 / 18500 / 7250 / 11250 / 2.5517241379 1801-1807 / 1803 lrg3 / 160 / 90 / 70 / 1.7777777778 1807-1836 / 1807 / 60 / 45 / 15 / 1.3333333333 1836-1837 / 1837 / 65 / 30 / 35 / 2.1666666667 1838-1839 / 1839O / 170 / 100 / 70 / 1.7 1839-1866 / 1866S no motto / 225 / 45 / 180 / 5 1853-1855 / 1855 normal / 25 / 14 / 11 / 1.7857142857 1866-1891 / 1889 / 250 / 100 / 150 / 2.5 1873-1874 / 1873CC / 150 / 50 / 100 / 3 1892-1915 / 1914 / 150 / 18 / 132 / 8.3333333333 1916-1947 / 1921 / 180 / 50 / 130 / 3.6 1948-1963 / 1955 / 6 / 3 / 3 / 2 1964 to Date / 1970D / 18 / 15 / 3 / 1.2 Dollar 1794-1795 / 1795 / 800 / 400 / 400 / 2 1795-1798 / 1796 / 675 / 300 / 375 / 2.25 1798-1803 / 1798 / 800 / 300 / 500 / 2.6666666667 1840-1865 / 1844 / 200 / 200 / 0 / 1 1866-1873 / 1867 / 230 / 185 / 45 / 1.2432432432 1873-1883 / 1873CC / 200 / 125 / 75 / 1.6 1878-1921 / 1899 / 120 / 30 / 90 / 4 1921-1935 / 1927S / 28 / 13 / 15 / 2.1538461538 1971-1978 / 1973S Silver Clad / 12 / 7 / 5 / 1.7142857143 Report this Post to the Staff
Jim1953 Pillar of the Community United States 2600 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 4:32 pm WOW ! Magusxxx, do you like have a job, man. That is amazing. Heck, I downloaded it for myself, and I thought I knew something about this. Jim Report this Post to the Staff
fengk Pillar of the Community United States 986 Posts	Posted 06/11/2007 5:17 pm 1793 Chain Cent 1877 and 1909-s IHC 1909-s vdb, 1914-d Lincoln Cents 1802 Half Dime 1822 Dime 1894-s Dime 1796 Quarter 1824 Quarter 1794 Half Dollar 1796 and 1797 Half Dollars 1817/4 Half Dollar (if we're counting varieties) 1838-o Half Dollar 1928 Peace 1889-cc, 1893-s,1895 Morgans A few of the coins above really are just for those who can drop hundreds of thousands of dollars on coins, but there are exceptions. The morgans (besides the 1895) can be picked up under $500 if you're willing to accept problems. The Peace dollar is right around $500 for a MS63 example. The older coins on that list are harder to find under $1000, but it's doable. Mostly, it depends on how many problems you're willing to accept. Report this Post to the Staff
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