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 Replies: 29 / Views: 2,514 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
Why have I never seen this before? Nobody seems to appreciate collecting the series. Yes, IMO, there are key dates. OK, so they're not that hard to find, but I consider them "key" because of mintage. Try to find well-struck, spotless, EDS, MS65+ red coins. Pay attention to the memorial steps. Finding coins with complete, well-formed and hit-free steps is a challenge. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Key_dateFrom the CC glossary: Quote:
Key Coin
The major, or most important, coin in a particular series. The "key" coin is usually the lowest-mintage coin and/or the most expensive coin in a particular set. Here's the mintage figures for UNDER one billion "key dates". I've also added the FS (Full Steps) designation for the years I know it's possible. For some years the master die had worn steps, so FS is not possible. 1960 SD apx 2,000,000 1968 S 261,311,510 FS 1973 S 319,937,634 FS 1972 S 380,200,104 1974 S 412,039,228 FS 1971 S 528,354,192 1969 S 547,309,631 1960 P 588,096,602 1962 P 609,263,019 FS 1959 P 610,864,291 FS 1970 S 693,192,814 1961 P 756,373,244 FS 1963 P 757,185,645 I've also put together a handy spreadsheet by mintage: http://www.badthad.com/coin/memorial_mintage.xlsI would also specutlate that possibly some of the 1982 zinc coins may fall into the key criteria, but no separate mintage number exist that I'm aware of. If you have another Memorial you might consider "key", please let me know. I'm not including errors, varieties or proofs. If you have an FS example of any of the years I'm missing it for, I'd like to hear about it. I've not been able to locate FS coins for those years. Edited by BadThad
02/08/2009 11:18 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
so you saying 69 70 71 and 72 S dont have full stepes?
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
19931 Posts |
yotie - I'm saying I'm not sure because I have not been able to find an example with full steps. It doesn't mean it one doesn't exist. I'd really like to see pictures from someone that has an FS example in those years....or I'd at least like to hear from them.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Valued Member
United States
254 Posts |
BadThad,
Thanks for compiling this data for us. I just bought a full memorial set from e-bay. I think you previously mentioned that these would be MS60 - MS3. I applaud your efforts in searching for the high-end examples but I guess I fall into the "as long as it looks red and shiny, It's fine" camp. I will let you know if I get anything interesting.
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
BadThad,would you consider a 1983 that's (clean) without any bubbles a key date? I have started keeping 1983 LMC's that look NICE,am I wasting me time on these? John1  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
John1 - No, not a key date, over 7 billion minted. However, finding a nice 1983 can be a challenge and it's not a waste of time IMO. I'm always happy when I find a nice coin from any of the 80's because they are generally so crappy. Save ALL BU's you find and create rolls....that's what I do.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
I see what you are saying about the die on the 71 and 72 you have to hold it in just the right to see all the step line but they are very faint at 3x mag it looks like 3 steps
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1083 Posts |
Just my humble opinion Thad, but other than the 1960, nothing with those huge mintage numbers could ever be considered key dates. On the other hand, I accept your experience that pristine specimens are rare. Somehow I have never been able to want to collect anything that is still a current design, like Memorial Cents. I also think that viewpoint is a function of my age. I was eleven years old, and collecting wheat cents, when the mint ended that design. I have been mad at them ever since. It has been said many times, but the nice thing about coin collecting is our freedom to collect what appeals to us. Peace,
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Valued Member
United States
447 Posts |
Quote:
Somehow I have never been able to want to collect anything that is still a current design, like Memorial Cents. With the cent design change taking place in 4 days, Nows your chance. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
Quote:
nothing with those huge mintage numbers could ever be considered key dates Regardless of the absolute number, they fit the definition of key dates because they are the lowest mintage in the series.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1083 Posts |
Ok Thad, but once again I interpret key date in my semantic context and experience. A key date is something I need to complete a set, but I am going to have to pay big bucks for it, because they weren't minted in the millions, there is high demand, and of course they aren't still circulating. I really don't consider anything in the Jefferson nickel to be a true key date either, although I remember paying $20 for one of them to complete my set. Anyway it really is a silly discussion. I am glad you enjoy your Memorial Cents and it is fun to collect something that can still be found regularly in change. I remember when that for me was Wheat back cents. |
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Valued Member
United States
290 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
okie - Point taken, I knew this thread would create some controversy.  novillero - All of the published zinc mintages exceeded 1 billion. The exception I noted above is for the 82 zincs. Unfortuately, the mintage figures given are for all 1982 cents, copper and zinc combined. So nobody really even knows how many zinc 82's there are. However, I can tell you after searching a LOT of boxes, the zinc 82's are a lot rarer than the coppers. I'm going to start keeping statistics on the 82's, a little scientific study. With enough data I should be able to determine an approximate number of zincs. Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
Edited by BadThad
02/08/2009 10:25 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
615 Posts |
I think there are keys.
I mean those s mints are very hard to find in change. I bet I only get 1 per 1200 or so cents with the 68 being very rare.
If you start looking for high grade then those 80s zincs are crazy hard to find. I know there were mint sets, but most people that bought those had/have cent collections.... I just wonder how many were saved vs how many are needed.
Next, The coppers are going to dry up at some point and be melted. I have seen coin counters that bag the in different bags (zincs and coppers). If they do away with the ban and it is profitable to melt them, then companies( like coin star) will melt them down. If copper gets high enough long enough, then bye bye cents. That melt ban isn't going to stop it. People sell drugs and that is against the law too. If people figure out they can buy a sorter and make money, then they will do it.
If a machine can sort 18000 an hour with 20% copper that is 3600 copper cents an hour... if you could sell them for a nickel a piece that is $146 an hour profit. Figure you could do 4 hours sorting a day plus 4 hours dealing with banks... that is still around $600 a day for mostly watching tv.
So mintage keys.. not so much. Survival keys... maybe in the future Condition keys.... yes
-SWUSC
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Valued Member
United States
317 Posts |
I agree with Thad. Those coins are tough in nice grade. One of my earliest numismatic pursuits was a 1941-1974 Lincoln set entirely from circulation, and the LAST coins I found were the 1973-S and the 1972-S, and I was in California at the time. I even found all 3 steels before those 2 coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
615 Posts |
Those dang 1943, 1943d, 1943s, 1954 and 1955s were the keys of post 1940s wheat cents for me. I bet I haven't found more than a couple of 1954 wheat cents in circulation.
-SWUSC
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Replies: 29 / Views: 2,514 |
Posted 02/08/2009 02:42 am
