Coins with S mint mark.

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Ruthlankford68, Feb 21, 2020.

  1. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    I know the S stands for San Fransisco but I was under the impression that pennies with an s are more valuable and all silver colored coins with a S were silver. Why does my 1970 nickle with an s not have any silver and my 1970 s penny no more value?
     
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  3. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Because your assumptions are misguided.

    S is San Francisco.
    Not all S coins are silver.
    Silver Proof coins, are silver, but in a set not all coins are silver.
    S minted Gold coins, are gold.
    S minted clad coins, are clad.

    Over the years S has made pennies, nickels, etc dependent upon what they were assigned to make. So it totally varies over time.

    Basically, each year, each coin will be different dependent upon why it was manufactured.

    Use a guide book such as the Redbook to identify.
    more info
    https://www.usmint.gov/about/mint-tours-facilities/san-francisco
     
    Oldhoopster likes this.
  4. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    Thank you for the info and link for more info. And misguided is correct.
     
  5. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

  6. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    I'm glad u corrected me. I think if I'd have got a silver colored anything right now with an S I'd kill over. Lol. U probably just saved me.
     
  7. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Of course compared to an "All SILVER" set such as the Limited Edition 2019 Silver Proof Set
    https://catalog.usmint.gov/united-s...roof-set-19RC.html?cgid=2019-product-schedule

    upload_2020-2-21_10-8-36.png
    which is all Silver and from San Francisco.
    upload_2020-2-21_10-9-2.png


    But as mentioned, you the Guide book as your GUIDE in understanding.
    Over time, things change, it's not a simple black & white.
    It is manufacturing. The S manufacturing site is not limited to one specific thing, though they are geared towards more specialized manufacturing.
     
  8. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    I think it's wonderful how you and other members take the time to help ppl like me and give info to educate me further. Thank you. Thanks ti
     
  9. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    if you don't have a Redbook (you should really get one),
    then peruse this website usacoinbook.com and you can see where and how many coins are minted in various facilities

    For instance in 2006 San Fran minted over 3 million PROOF clad nickels. notice though in the price guide there is no price guide for MS and lower as they only minted nicer Proof nickels.

    you won't find many proof nickels in circulation, though you can as people just spend them who don't know any better (kids finding dad's coin stash , etc). This "rarity" may explain why when ppl see an S in circulation they think it's silver or whatnot. They do look different too as Proof coins are manufactured differently to 'show off' more.

    image below from usacoinbook.com
    upload_2020-2-21_10-19-54.png
     

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    Last edited: Feb 21, 2020
  10. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    I don't have the book. I can't get one right now. I need to and will. Ive been advised to many times.
     
  11. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    Can u tell me if any coins dated from 1941 except the 43 penny, circulated are of value more than face and something really valuable? This way maybe I can narrow it down.
     
  12. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    I need to get some funds and if I have anything I will sell it.
     
  13. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    When you look at the Price Guides be wary that those prices are of GRADED coins. Coins that have been sent in to PCGS, ANACS, NGC etc. So expect to spend at least $35 per coin to get graded. So when you see the prices below also tack on the expense to get to that point.

    but looking at usacoinbook for pennies ..
    upload_2020-2-21_10-51-45.png
    upload_2020-2-21_10-51-31.png

    So a 1942 San Fran Cent GRADED MS60 is worth $7.50
    if you found one in circulation and it's not graded it is worth a few cents at retail - "retail" so if you go to a coin store to buy them you can buy them for a few cents each. This excludes ebay, etc where crazy things happen.

    from the same website .. nickels
    upload_2020-2-21_10-53-34.png


    So you can go to that website and self educate yourself now on potential prices after a coin is graded.
     
  14. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    from eBay, an example of a 1941 P graded MS65 - red (for it's color)
    sold for $8.50

    So someone spent probably $40 to get it graded at one time ...
    and it sold for $8.50 .. you can do the math.
    upload_2020-2-21_10-55-23.png
     
  15. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    Well I guess making a few hundred is outta the question. I'm still going to collect and learn all I can I just need to get money. Thank you for letting me know I'm not going to get it from the coins I have. Quarters dimes nickles and pennies.
     
  16. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    There
    (a) coin collecting based upon condition. Which is the MS stuff you see.

    (b) then people search for "errors" and "Varieties"
    this is where people are looking for minting errors. Most of the "not normal" stuff you see is due to circulation wear, damage, etc that people dismiss for some reason.

    But many youtube videos, certain deceiving websites will offer "hope" for stuff that is essentially impossible to find. They leave out certain things like there are about 100 of these which have all been found.

    Many people are successful in finding errors and varieties but they usually spend countless hours and going through countless boxes of coins looking for them.
     
  17. Ruthlankford68

    Ruthlankford68 Active Member

    So are error coins where more value comes in even circulated?
     
  18. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Yes and No. "rare" and "high value" error coins are worth more.
    There are many non-rare and no value error coins in circulation.

    There is a wealth of knowledge needed to properly search for error coins as most people start looking for "something different" or "something odd" when all they see is some form of damage or something else.

    There are many posts of people looking for DDO / DDR / DD aka "Doubled Die" (Obverse or Reverse) when all they have is stuff called Mechanical Doubling or Die Deterioration Doubling and other stuff.

    The minting process is a machine running at FULL SPEED with a metal press that wears out over time causing a lot of variation. None of this really matters but is is what 99.99% of the visual differences are.

    Just look at all the posts of posters asking if they have a DD, DDO or DDR.
     
  19. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    FYI, learning to properly find Error/Variety coins of value in Circulated money is a GIGANTIC learning curve that few people expect.

    Many people post a few times of stuff they really think is an error just to get frustrated and never post again.
     
    gronnh20 likes this.
  20. gronnh20

    gronnh20 Well-Known Member

    Most error coins you find from circulating coinage is not going to bring in the big bucks. Even if you find an error coin in your pocket change it needs to be a high grade coin or an error that doesn't need magnification. The hobby right now is not really supporting modern day circulated coinage. Most serious collectors in the hobby willing to pay big bucks for coins want high grade coins. Errors or otherwise.

    You want to find errors? Look through as many circulated dollar coins that you get from the bank. Out of all of the recent error coins these have produced the most profitable of modern coins. And it won't be some common missing edge lettering. There are only a couple worthy die varieties in common circulating coinage that will command money in high grades. The 1995 and 1995-D Lincoln cent DDOs come to mind. Or the CAM and WAM cents. Still those coins have been in circulation over 25 years.

    Your better bet is to pull coins out of circulation that look like they just came from the Mint. No marks or scratches, fingerprints and real shiny. Unless you are getting boxes of coins from the bank, these brand new coins are not so common in your pocket. This means going through thousands of coins if you don't go to the bank. People are more successful selling brand new rolls of coins from the bank to collectors than looking for rare errors or die varieties.
     
  21. nuMRmatist

    nuMRmatist Well-Known Member

    It would be good to do that NOW.

    You MUST be prepared to replace something you get in circulation, somehow or other.

    I worked at a laundromat in college long ago ; found lots of Silver .25's. Problem was, I had to go to boss sometimes, when I found paper U S Notes, and Silver Cert's, and didn't have = $ in my pocket, to replace them. And boss wasn't always available, which led to my loss.

    Start getting funds now. Excuses might be truth, but they can be costly...

    I remember reading in Coin World, or Numis. News about 1990, that Fed was still sitting on $122 millions worth of 1966 Series' $C-Bills (since been destroyed).

    But thinking then, on getting prepared IF I saw one, made my head spin...
     
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