Okay, well I heard that in 1990 there was around 3,000 proofed pennies made at the san-fransisco mint without the "s" so people thought they were from the Philadelphia mint. However, no pennies were "proof" - minted in Philadelphia that year... So it is an easily distinguishable error. Anyways I was searching through ebay and found an item titled "1990 Lincoln Cent lot of 3 (P & D)" I clicked it and it said they were proof and uncirculated. When I looked at the picture there were 3 proof pennies from 1990 and one of them had no s... I just bought them all Here is the link http://cgi.ebay.com/1990-LINCOLN-CENT-LOT-3-PROOF-UNC-P-D-COLLECTOR-SET-/330447167117 What do you think? good deal? it was $4.95 for the lot.
A 1990 Lincoln proof with no "S" mm would not have sold for $4.95. In the proof set, the value is somewhere around $5400.
The one in the stapled holder is the proof. Compare it's fields to the other 2. See how polished it looks?
That is usually true, today I took my car in to the Goodyear store because my tire has developed a slow leak, it was fixed, asked how much, the price was gratis. Of course we and our children usually buy our tires there so we have been loyal customers. But the way I figure it, it should have cost about the same as another silver eagle, so I think I will put the money I would have spent getting the tire fixed on another silver eagle.
I think a lot more studying on proofs and unc coins from all 3 mints. San Fransico makes all the proofs for collecting. Denver and Philadelphia make both UNC sets, as well as business strikes for general circulation. The pennies in the sealed mylar are unc strikes from P and D mints, the penny in the 2x2 with the S mm is a proof.