Copper Grading Guide "The most important thing to remember about coin grading is that almost no two coins are the same. This axiom is particularly true for most early copper with the few exceptions being examples of the hoards that provide us with many nearly identical mint state specimens. Used (circulated) coins exist in a continuum of sharpness grades that range from only slightly removed from Mint State to worn slick. We have put together a set of images of several different coin types in different grades that are a "stake in the ground". The coins selected for the different series of pictures are above average to choice in condition and therefore can be "net graded" without deductions from the sharpness grade. The selected coins are also generally well struck and not from late die states. Only the series called "net grades" show "problems" which cause a reduction of the sharpness grade to a net grade. The images presented were made with "reflected light" to show the detail on the coins. This lighting does not show the color." Copper Grading Guide Grading Indian Cents - by Rick Snow -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Eagle Eye Rare Coins This is the web site of Rick Snow, considered by most to be THE expert when it comes to Flying Eagle or Indian Cents. There is a tremendous amount of information that can be obtained by visiting this web site. I particularly urge you to read his articles and study the grading guide. Eagle Eye Rare Coins ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copper Coins.com This used to be one of the best web sites for copper coinage. I'm not sure why, but most of the links found on this site now appear to be non-functional. Fortunately the die variety search still works and that alone can be quite useful. Copper Coins.com -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Large Cents - by variety "Welcome to LargeCents.net! This page is dedicated to everything related to the collecting of early United States copper coins, with an emphasis on Large Cents. Large Cents were produced in Philadelphia between the years of 1793 and 1857. My specialty is collecting the early dates, 1793 to 1814, by Sheldon variety. A variety is simply a coin struck from a unique obverse/reverse die pairing. There are 295 different Sheldon varieties in all. Currently I have 197 of the 295 Sheldon varieties. All of them are photographed and described under the link Personal Collection. (If you just want to see photos of the coins, go to the link Photo Index instead.) " Large Cents - by variety -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The CONECA Top 100 Lincoln Cent RPMs --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Indian Heads.org "This website was created in Nov., 2001 with two missions (1) Provide condensed reference for collectors new to the series, (2) Provide constantly updated images of interesting coins and current news for all collectors of the series. Visit the Site News page for the most recent additions to IndianHeads.org." "The original focus on mint state Indian cents has broadened to varieties, errors and patterns, and a proof section will be added soon. But the current news and core of the site will always center on business strikes. Galleries of other great US coins have also been added recently and may eventually spin off to a new site that's exclusively a coin gallery." Indian Heads.org ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The Fly-In Club "The Flying Eagle and Indian Cent Society ( The Fly-In Club ) was formed in 1991 with 200 charter members focused in the study of the Flying Eagle and Indian Head cents. Membership has grown to approximately 400, with nearly every state represented." "The mission of the club is to foster a fraternal association among members and to enhance the enjoyment of one's numismatic endeavors." Fly-In Club ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A Guide Book of Flying Eagle and Indian Head Cents -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Altered Cents "How many altered coins do you have in your collection? Many collectors never know until they start selling their collections. In this article, we will share with you some of the coins that collectors have brought to us for authentication. I will explain the method used to examine these coins." Altered Cents ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1909 S Indian Cent ... Struck Counterfeit "ILNA Board Member Richard Prouty gave me this die struck counterfeit 1909 S Indian cent to photograph. At first glance, this coin is very convincing. But after taking some time to study the coin, the imperfections come to light. Thanks to Richard, I will share this coin with you today." Struck Counterfeit --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Authenticating a 1909 S Indian Cent "1909 was a split year for the cent coin production. The first part of the year, Indian cents were produced and toward the end of the year, the Lincoln cent was produced. Thus we have three hard to find coins to collect from 1909. First comes the 1909 S Indian cent, then the 1909 S Lincoln and finally the 1909 S VDB." "Today lets talk about the 1909 S Indian cent. Collectors know that a 1909 S Indian is hard to find, but a nice red genuine 1909 S Indian is very hard to find." 1909 S Indian Cent
The 1922 No D Lincoln "The 1922 no D Lincoln Cent is mentioned in most price guides without a full explanation of how to authenticate it. Some with no D showing are fakes, while others are relatively common die varieties that are only worth the same as the 1922D in grades below MS60. This means you have to look at other characteristics of the dies besides the lack of D, to figure out if a circulated 1922 cent is the valuable variety. " 1922 No D Lincoln ----------------------------------------- The Lincoln Cent Resource "Welcome to the Lincoln Cent Resource. This site is dedicated to delivering today's collector information about the top Lincoln Cent Varieties including Doubled Dies, Repunched Mintmarks "RPMs", Over Mintmarks "OMMs", Large and Small Dates, Wide AM's and much more..." Lincoln Cent Resource
Book Review: A Guide Book of Half Cents and Large Cents by Q. David Bowers (Whitman Publishing, 2015. 564 pages $39.95) Early American Copper has always been a specialty area. Most collectors want "just one" - and we end up with several. The Red Book is some help, as the most common varieties appear there. For most of us, that's fine... until it is not. Once you become interested in these fascinating examples of the early US Mint's handiwork, you need a library of special books. The ones that are not merely expensive are both expensive and unavailable. You become a bibilomaniac -- as if you did not have enough collecting interests, now you need a new one to support a previous one. Finally, it all (or just about all) appears in one book, affordable, interesting, and luxurious. All of the technical information is here about varieties and their populations and values. In addition, the book is replete with entertaining commentary from QDB. His narratives include the Fall of Sheldon, John J. Ford, The Career of Walter Breen, and the histories of Stack's and Superior as they relate to these issues. Whether you need to inform yourself about these coins, or just want to expand your knowledge, this book is at once an introduction and overview, as well as an in-depth (564 pages) guide.
