Several hundred Wheat cents... where to start looking for errors/varieties?

I have several hundred Wheat cents that I've been separating by year and mintmark. I have the Cherry Picker's Guide and several URL's bookmarked, but frankly I'm a little overwhelmed when trying to figure out where to start.

Other than at the beginning and just "trudging" my way through.

Any advice?

* Particular years that are more "prone" to errors/varieties?
* Particular errors/varieties to watch for?

Thanks.

 

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It's usually a trudging. I separate them by dates and MM. That way I can see any differences there may be on first inspection.
Being that they are circulated, damage is usually a big factor.
Having http://varietyvista.com/index.htm on hand is a good bonus, because they show the various die stages that the variety will go through. I also tend to find a lot of laminations. Die cracks and interior die breaks can be very helpful towards attributing them.
Good Luck and Happy Hunting!

 

It takes time to do. Since you have them sorted, pick a year or two and look for all the errors they are reported to have. Mentally make a note if it is unique to the date or an error that can appear just about any date. Don't be concerned if you are even spending a full minute per coin to start. Get used to being able to check the whole coin and have a loupe handy because sometimes errors aren't that prominent, especially on worn coins.

 

Very important! If you don’t first get to know the entire coin you WILL miss most of the errors that could be detected. But a Lincoln cent is so simple you say. That is the one reason most people don’t get to know them, they look so simple they get dismissed.

Here is some advice I gave another member:

I promise you will find REAL errors but you must continue to search TENS OF THOUSANDS of coins to have any kind of chance to find a truly valuable coin.

-Until that time study up on whatever coin you are going to focus on.
-Fine tune your coin inspection skills so you have a routine that’s the same for every coin, every time.
-Don’t focus on any one aspect of a coin when inspecting, use your routine and let the anomalies show themselves.
-Practice practice practice.
-I personally look at each side of a coin at least 4 separate times when I’m bank roll processing.

You will NOT find valuable errors on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. It might take YEARS to find one so settle in and search. Odds go up the more you search.

My best pull lately are a couple of wavy step cents I found recently their worth $10.00 each. Big whoop!
BUT I did find a nice 1931S in VF20 4 months ago.

It’s the way it works my Friend, no substitute for eyes on coins. Don’t spend it looking at nothing when there’s lots of other coins to look at.

Sincerely,
Reed

P.s. Look at my Avatar it’s about 6000 or 7000 Lincoln cents from bank rolls. Each one in the picture has been looked at at least 4 times each side. And I’m not done yet. Its 4 Boxes of re rolls, I’ll 2X2 about 2500, Keep the pre 1982’s and deposit the rest. Nothing of high value came from this load.[/QUOTE]

Hope this helps,
Reed.

 

Look out for Die Chips on the number 9 and the letter B on Cents minted in the 1950's..
BIE's also.

As stated.. All years have some kind of Lamination. Improperly mixed alloy aka Woodies, can also be found.

 

Know what you're looking for and how to properly identify it when/if you see it.

 

Look closely, VERY closely, at any 1922.

 

Here's a list someone on this forum posted. I wish I could remember who it was so I can give him/her credit. I added a few things to the list.

1909-S VDB
1909-S
1909-S Over horizontal S
1911-S
1911-D Over D (RPM)
1914-D
1914-S
1917-P Doubled Die Obverse
1922 No D
1931-S
1936 Double Die Obverse
1944 D/S Variety 1
1944 D/S Variety 2
1946 S/D
1955 Double die
1970-S Doubled die
1936 Double die obverse, the date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST has some doubling.
1941 Double die reverse: Doubling of the date and LIBERTY.
1943-D The D is stamped over another D (RPM).
1943-P Should be a steel cent but there are reports of some struck using copper.
1944-D D over S the mint mark D is stamped over the S.
1946-S S Mint mark stamped over a D mint mark.
1955-D Stamped over a horizontal D.
1955-P No VDB.
1955-P Lincoln Wheat Cent Double Die cent.
1956-D D Stamped over a D mint mark.
1958-P Double die obverse.
1959-D First year for Memorial reverse, check for wheat reverse.

1960-D D over D RPM
small date over large date
1960-P Look for Small Date variety, the 6 has a shorter stem than normal.
1963-D Check to see if the 3 in the date is struck over another 3.
1968-D D mint mark stamped over another D.
Double die reverse, strong doubling in the word AMERICA.
1969-S Lincoln Memorial double die, all design features strongly doubled.

1970-S Small date Lincoln Cent with a doubled die reverse, strong doubling of TRUST & LIBERTY.
1970-S Small Date high 7.
1970-S Level 7. The 7 is level with rest of date.
1971-P Double die obverse, strong doubling on LIBERTY & IN GOD WE TRUST.
1972-p Lincoln doubled die obverse
1973-P No V.D.B.

1980-D A shadow of an S mint mark struck above the D.
1982-P Doubling of IN GOD WE TRUST.
1982 DDR
1982-D small date copper
1982 - Last year copper 3.11g
2017 - look for P mint mark
1982-D small date copper
1983-P Doubled die reverse doubled, IN GOD WE TRUST doubled.
1984-P Doubled ear, look at the ear lobe.
1984-D Doubled Date.
1989-P No VDB.
1989-D Struck on 3.1g copper
1989-Look for serif on the G in FG

1992 Close AM
1992-D Close AM
1994-P Doubling of the last three columns on reverse.
1995-P Double die, LIBERTY doubled.
1995-D Double die obverse, strong doubling of the date and LIBERTY.
1996 Wide AM
1997-P Double Die, look at the ear lobe like the 1984.
1998-P Wide AM reverse Lincoln Memorial Cent.
1999-P Wide AM reverse Lincoln Memorial Cent.
There may be double dies varieties.

2000-P Wide AM in America.
2003-P May be doubling of the steps, experts say “yes”, mint says “no”.
2006-P Double Die Obverse
2009-Look for doubling of the thumb - "Floating Abe" abraded die
2010-Extra thick RTY and Y is squared off DDO
2015-DDO