Wheat pennies...

To say that I am a coin collector is an overstatement. I have always liked coins that were older than me( I'm 56), Today my mother gave me some Wheat pennies from a wide range of dates(around 1500-2000 of them). I don't know what to do with them but I certainly am not gonna let the bank have them. Somebody steer me straight please.

 

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After you've gone through all of them looking for errors and varieties, sell the rest on SleazeBay as "totally unsearched".

Chris

 

by errors, I assume you mean "minted faults"... Varieties, besides the date and mint location, what else is there?

 

Also I have an 1883 liberty nickle, a couple zeus dimes and an 1858 flying eagle penny and 2 irregular shaped coines that say Mascot AEF

 

Bless your Mom's good heart. Sounds like you need a copy of the Red Book and Cherry Pickers Guide Vol. 1. Not a complete way to look for errors and varieties but a decent start. Just don't get a copy of "How To Get Rich With Pocket Change"... worst book that ever came to us. Try the Library before you buy either and if they don't have it, request it on an inter loan basis between libraries.

 

Thank you tommyc03, Your advice is appreciated.

 

If you find yourself becoming addicted, I would suggest a subscription to Coin World. It covers U.S. and foreign coins , banknotes, ancients, etc. In addition a guide to U.S. coin values each month and a changing paper money guide and changing guide to grading different U.S. coins each month.

 

....did someone say wheat pennies?

 

Thanks! Haha! You being a senior member, I suspect that your subscription is current I didn't ask for the addiction but I guess I'll deal with it.

 

Yeah, like...alot of them.

 

Chances are that most of them are well worn and not worth a whole lot. The sell in bulk for 3-5 cents each. But it worth going through them to see what you have. It sounds like your mother is of an age where she picked them from circulation so there is a better chance of finding something.

Check out the two links below. The first will help you recognize higher quality coins.
The second will help you with the value if you find anything worth more than a few cents.

https://www.pcgs.com/Photograde/#/Lincoln/Grades
https://www.ngccoin.com/price-guide/united-states/cents/99/

 

Thank you sakata

 

I don't consider die cracks and such as errors, but off-center strikes, broadstrikes, cuds, etc. are what I consider errors. A doubled die would be a variety, but I don't collect Lincoln cents so I'm not familiar with most varieties.

Chris

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lincoln_cent_mintage_figures << anything with a low number, is more desirable. Matte proof is a coin that has mirror shine.

https://www.thespruce.com/lincoln-wheat-penny-768219 <<< the things you should also look for.


Do you know about mint marks?

 

Zeus dimes.

 

Umm........how sure are you?

https://www.bing.com/images/search?...f&qpvt=matte+proof&qpvt=matte+proof&FORM=IGRE

Chris

 

...... how many more different types of proof coin do they need?! Haha i stand corrected.

 

Nobody ever stops learning...........unless they're dead.

Chris

 

Sakata's post is dead on. You may also want to buy (or check your library) for A Guidebook of United States Coins. Commonly known as the Red Book, it comes out every year and the cost is about the same as buying lunch.

 

I apologize for my ignorance, Mercury Dimes... not Zeus dimes.