Now that the Lincoln Memorial Series has ended, I've decided to put together a nice BU/Proof set while they're still relatively inexpensive. I figured I'd start with the keys and go from there. A few that caught my eye are the low mintage satin finish ones, particularly the 2008-P&D, with a mintage of approximately 745,000, which looks like the lowest mintage of the series. I know the 1970-S small dates are keys, but are there any estimates for their mintage? Any other thoughts about the series?
That isn't as easy to accomplish as you make it sound. BU's and proofs are no easy cents to find specially in the 60's and 70's. High grade cents aren't cheap, at least to my limited resources. It something I would really love to do. I'm sorry I didn't mean to sound so negative. I commend you for starting this collection. It will look great and you'll get a ton of enjoyment seeing it come together piece by piece. Any ideas for displaying it. Maybe a nice custom made wall show case. Another exciting project.. Let all of us know when you gotten anything significant in your collection. And pics, pics, pics. Have fun and good luck. zeke
Thanks for the insight. Good to hear it will be a bit of a challenge. I like picking out raw coins in high grade, but don't believe in paying a huge premium for one grade higher. When I collected years ago, wasn't into the Memorials, but something about the series ending, that makes them more desirable, maybe the idea of knowing where the end is. I also like the way it ended, with those low mintage satins. I've looked at many and most are real nice strikes with an almost matte proof finish - reminds me of the way the Lincoln Series began, with a few years of matte proofs issued. Yeah, a wall mount display would be nice, I'll have to play with that. I always had the albums too, the kind with the slide windows, but have to be careful when sliding the window so the coin isn't scratched.
I can understand that some of the dates in the 1960s and 1970s can be expensive if you're going for certified examples of the very highest grades given... but if you're just looking for a nice uncirculated example of each the series is relatively cheap to complete by just buying a run of mint and proof sets that you can break up. You may even be able to buy the cents only still in the mint cello wrap from someone who already broke up the sets for one or more of the other coins... sure, most of the coins cut from the sets wouldn't necessarily grade MS66RD at PCGS or NGC (you have to hunt many sets for those), but certainly you can find decent looking examples very cheap.
That’s a good point, searching the mint sets for them. I don’t remember the mint set coins looking better than ones from rolls, but others have said they think they get a better struck coin from a mint set, albiet maybe banged up a little or a lot. Do you feel you get better struck coins in mint sets? Nice Indian. I have 2 or 3 bu’s that I like, similar color to yours. But, I’m sure a grading service would find something wrong with them, so I just enjoy them in my own holders.
It's not as easy as many think depending on the quality It's not as easy as many think depending on the quality you want. I spend a lot of time within these dates from 59 to date trying to obtain gem type coins, most are not anywhere close to gem even from BU rolls or mint sets. For example if I get a brick (2500) of 2009 (whatever) Lincoln's P or D - I only ever expect 10% to be the quality I offer my customers. That's right out of 2500 250 max to be full, spot free, nice luster coins that please me, somethimes much less rairly more. In mint sets it's not much different and also substituting a "mint set" coin for a buisness strike sort of looks out of place as you can easily tell the mint set coin (when nest to regular coins). If colleting one of each the set will look better but require of course more coins, sets, to look through. Some of the toughest dates are: 1969-P, 1973 & 74-S, 76-D, 79-D and the 7 1982's - the hardest one in that is the 82-P smdtz to find nice. Many many challeges in this series and it depends on your taste, many people's BU would not make my AU-55 but it all depends. It's not the easy series many think!
Interesting, I understand the 2005 to date mint set coins look completely different than the business strikes, so I consider them a different variety, almost like a matte proof, so I intend on acquiring both varieties. But, are you saying pre 2005 mint set coins look significantly different than those found in rolls?
Anyone with extensive experience can tell mint set coins in 2-seconds. Anyone with extensive experience can tell mint set coins in 2-seconds. One way to tell is by turning them under light and looking across the surfaces, (they shine more glossy, mirror like). Very easy to tell.
What is your penchant for starting 2 identical threads? You did the same with "Which Coins Are You Collecting?" and "2009 US Coin Final Mintages Are Out". As for your keys, you need to define your set before you can name the keys. The rarest would be a 69-S doubled die TTBOMK, but the 1970-S, 1971-, 1972-, 1983-, 1984-, 1995- all doubled dies plus the 1999 (st least this one) wide AM and the 60-D small/large are all rarer than the 70-S SD. Even excluding the 69-S, you are looking at a few thousand just for those coins in unc.
If you have looked at the amount I have yes. Even when ugly they have a sheen If you have looked at the amount I have yes. Even when ugly they have a sheen or glimmer to them that is not charecteristc on coins made for commerce - they are very easy to tell but remember I have looked at millions of BU Lincoln cents and cut up thousands of mint and proof sets.
I to was wondering about seperate threads of the same thing??? I to was wondering about seperate threads of the same thing???
Although some, like us, monitor both forums, I find that some don't, so just want to get everyone's opinion. The identical threads are in different forums.
I have a lot of BU Lincolns, both singles and rolls, and find problems in the 60's--very worn dies and hard to get a nice coin without it being proof. That's nice to think that since the series is over, maybe more people will take an interest. It's always been my favorite.
