Just Curious. | Lincoln Cents

Hi

What year is the coin?
Does it look new or damaged ?
Maybe you could post some pictures of
the coin and this would help to maybe
identify the problem.

I believe that the relief of the Lincoln design has been lowered and modified over the years to improve the efficiency of the minting process. Remember that several billion cents are minted every year nowadays so those things have to be cranked out as quickly as possible. I cannot say for certain, but I would assume that this can be done at the discretion of the Chief Engraver and Mint Director since it would also involve changes to the master hubs as well.

Each year a new master die is created. Some older styles of letters maybe used or a new style completely. The 1972 Cents were very weak in their patterns so in 1973 we found a stronger looking strike. In 1960 it started out as the small date pattern, but changed as the pattern was weak in structure. You can find several examples of EDS (Early Die State) coins with die breaks of the edge of letters. So the large date replaced the small dates because of this fault. In 1974 There was a small/large date cents. But they were experimenting with the possibility of a new material used in Cents. On the 2001-2003 Cents they have larger letters/numbers on the obverse. 1980's Cents the bust was smaller. Thus you can pick these out from eyesight the different between them and the 1990-forward Cents. The Early Cents had a wider rim. Wheat reverse/Memorial reverse. Different years you can identify just by the reverses. Other years used the same reverse patterns for a few years. Just depends on the year. All Cents made from a certain year came from the same master dies, which made the hubs, that made dies, which made Cents. So other than the different small/large dates, and placement of the mint marks, the same pattern was used for that years Cents. There are a few variables like the Wide A M/ Narrow AM on the reverses. I'm sure I missed a few things, but other will chime in.

I have been around, almost as long as the cent, give a few years, but until I got inti VArieties, I had never noticed all these sytle changes to the lowly cent.
Bill I visited your site, and was amazed at what I saw! I like the "grading, as well. I see where I have been pretty "chinzy" with my grades! I used to get "ticked" whenI found an "odd-ball" in the roll, butas time went by I foune that over all I have made a cent, or two. I have gotten a dime in a cent roll, a SBA in a roll of quarters, among ther things. Now, I like you look to see what I', going to get THIS time!
Cion collecting, especially roll collectimng is like opening a box of chocolates, "you never know what you are going to get"!
Dick