Hi, I gleened this:Okay, I assume you mean Canadian Small Cents, which have been issued every year since 1920. Some years have seen varieties, as follows:
KING GEORGE V:
1936: Along with the regular cent issued that year, there is a variety where there is a very small dot below the date, somewhat dead center between the 9 and the 3.
KING GEORGE VI:
1937: There is apparently a variety with a matte finish.
1947: There are actually two different coins with the 1947 date -- ones that say 1947, and some that say 1947, but have a little maple leaf after the 7. These were actually minted in 1948. Dies from the year before were used because the independence of India necessitated that new dies had to be prepared because of the motto around the King's head identified him as Emperor of India, something he no longer was, and the Mint was caught by suprise by this.
The "real" '47's have a blunt 7 at the corner of the top bar of the number. As to the '47 Maple Leafs, there is not only specimens with this blunt 7 but also a variety with a pointed 7, where the corner of the top bar is sharper. Both are easy to find.
1948: There are three types of this year. The first has very faint denticles along the rim around the coin and the top of the A in "GRATIA" points to one of these marks. The remaining two have quite pronounced denticles; on one the top of the A likewise points to the top of the A in "GRATIA", on the other, it points between the denticles. The small denticle version is the hardest to find.
1949: No difference in denticles, all are pronounced, but the same "A pointing to" and "A pointing between" situation occurs. The "A pointing to" is the more expensive of the two.
QUEEN ELIZABETH II:
1. Young (Gillick) Effigy:
1953: Two different types, one with a strap visible on the Queen's shoulder, one without. To differentiate in the case where this may be worn down, look at the I in "DEI"; if the I is flared at the top and bottom and it points between the denticles, it is the one without the shoulder strap; if the I is straight sided all the way up and down and it points to a denticle, this is the variety with the shoulder strap.
1954: Same as 1953.
1955: Same as 1953 -- shoulder strap and non-shoulder strap, but in regard to those with the strap, there are two different: one with small faint denticles, and one with regular, easily seen denticles, for a total of three different for this year. The 1955 non-shoulder strap is rare, and was only released in mint sets.
2. Older (Machin) Effigy:
1965: There are FOUR different varieties this year, because there were two different obverse and two different reverses and there were combinations of these. On the Queen side, there are differences in the size of the beads around the edge. Small beads can be determined if the top of the A in "REGINA" points between two beads; on the Large bead type, the A points to a bead. On the Maple Leaf side there is a pointed 5, where the top right of the top bar of the numeral comes to a point, and a blunt 5 where the top right of the top bar of the numeral is nearly square.
Therefore, what you have is:
Small Bead, Pointed 5
Small Bead, Blunt 5
Large Bead, Blunt 5
Large Bead, Pointed 5 -- This is the rarest of the four.
1983: Two types, one with the beads near to the rim on the Queen side, one with the beads a little farther from the rim. Both types are easy to find.
1985: Blunt 5's and Pointed 5's; the latter is rarer.
3. Diademed Effigy:
1998: Two versions, one regular, one with a W mint mark to the right of the Queen's neck, but this was not released for circulation, available only in some mint sets.
1999: Two versions, one of which has a small P under the Queen's head. These are somewhat rare, being test pieces made of Plated Steel.
2000: Three versions, one with no letter on the Queen side, one with a W to the right of the Queen's neck, one with a P under the Queen. The W version is a mint mark, only released in sets, and the P version was again released only for testing purposes, and is extremely rare.
2001: Two versions, one without the P and one with. The P version came only in sets.
2002: Two versions, one without the P and one with. Both are easily found.
2003: Four versions, one without the P and one with; the version without the P is rarer, but can be found with some patience. There is also a P version that also has a W to the right of the Queen, but again, it came only in sets. In addition, the portrait of the Queen changed this year to the Uncrowned Effigy, and a smaller quantity of these were released, but it can be found in circulation.
4. Uncrowned Portrait
(8) Different for 2006: 1)2006 (cu/zn)
2)2006 (cu/steel)
3)2006-L (cu/zn)
4)2006-L (cu/steel)
5)2006-P (cu/steel)
6) Steel,
RCM, uncirculated finish
7) Steel, P, specimen finish
8) Bronze,No-P, proof finish
Uncirculated ==> special consideration in mintage & handling.
Speciman ==> mirror device on lined field
Proof ==> Ultra heavy cameo device on a mirrored field
Posted 04/08/2010 4:49 pm
I guess we DO need to know from you, whether they are U.S. cents, or Canadian cents, or even English Pennies! 
