1970s Small Date

I know this has been asked a million times, but I still struggle to identify the difference. I'm trying to fill my album and have this penny that I think is a small date. Is it?

 

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Yep, I think it's a small date.

 

You coin seems to be a small date. The top curved end of the nine is pointed on the small date and flat and blunt on the large one.

 

There are 3 tells on this question, all at the date.
1)The height of the numbers in relation to one another.
2)The shape and location of the S mint mark.
3)The shape and the direction of the point on the inside curl of the nine.

Tells 1 and 2 say Small Date.
Tell 3 is unclear. (by this pic)

If I were going by the way LIBERTY looks, I'd have to say Large Date, but I never use LIBERTY for this question, so I say it's a small date.

 

It's a small date.

 

Thanks everyone. This coin has had me frustrated for a while. When I look at pictures I always feel like it's easy enough to tell, but when I get an actual coin in front of me they all seem to look the same.

 

For some odd reason I can easily tell 1970-S or 1960 small dates / large dates apart, but don't ever ask me to tell the difference between a 1981-S Type 1 / Type 2 mintmark, I'm still lost, I can't see it.

 

Nice curl on the 9 and the 7 is high. Looks like a small date.

I find weak LIBERTY can be tricky. What if the coin is circulated and Liberty is just worn? What if the coin is a proof and there is no weak liberty?
I think weak liberty is more of a confirmation, when the other markers are present, rather than the main clue. (Which is the curl of the 9 and the high 7, in that order.)

 

Si!

 

I agree on that LIBERTY. I don't use it. If the other tells are there, they're there.

 

I would go with small date because the height of the 7 and
"The shape and the direction of the point on the inside curl of the nine."

 

Definitely a small date!