I am getting serious about completing a Lincoln cent collection (1909-present, proofs probably included...we'll see ;-) ) and cannot figure out why Dansco mandates you MUST have a 1922 plain to complete the collection. Technically, the '22 plain is an error coin. I am almost thinking about sticking my cent collection into blue Whitman folders just to avoid the extra $700 + (in present-day dollars; who knows what it will cost to buy 3-5 years from now) cost of acquiring an example of the '22 plain that is not corroded, cleaned, or otherwise damaged. What do you think....shouldn't Dansco, Whitman, and others have error inclusion be an optional thing? Perhaps an album with just typical business strikes and, perhaps an album with errors, such as the '22 plain, '55 doubled-die, etc?
Welcome to CT. I think you will find a couple Lincoln collectors here. Enjoy your stay. As to teh1922-, You are the collector, collect what you what in your set. If you do not think that coin belongs, it is you set and it will be excluded. Do notlet Dansco say what you collect. As to why it has been included, my guess is that it has to do with the fact that no Lincolns were made in Philadelphia that year, but there sits a coin without a mint mark.
Thanks for the welcome, rlm's cents! I look forward to many great conversations on here. I've been active in the hobby since 1992 and have come here many times as a guest and thought it was time to finally join. I appreciate your advice, too. I think I may still buy the Dansco album and simply put a cent-sized cardboard plug in the '22 plain slot that states "Rare" or, maybe, something a little more assertive: "Not going in MY collection!"
I agree with rlm, don't let Dansco or anyone else tell you what a complete set means to you. If you have no interest in buying a 22 plain, then that's cool. And if you like the Lincoln varieties, then you know that the Dansco is by no means complete as there are many years that have doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, etc. Could also go cheap and buy a weak D 22 for that hole in the dansco if it was bothering you alot, but I wouldn't go that route.
Illini420, Thanks -- I guess I should go by the old credo "collect what you enjoy." I agree with you; it's either going to be a plain that I save up to buy (WAY down the road!) or nothing at all.
Welcome to cointalk- You dont have to go along with them- Fight the power. How 'bout this - just buy the cheapest additional page from a dansco supplier. Once you get it figure the size of the hole & get a punch & take it out. Glue it into the album & presto change-o .You have got a custom Album & it will cost like $15 max. Badges? We dont need no stinkin badges.:smile
Why not buy these GM-GARA coinmaster pages and put into a nice leather(ette) 3 ring binder. The good point is that the label area at the bottom of each sliding row can be easily customized to include any coin you wish to add or delete. I love them as I can add the various Double dies and RPMs, etc. and have a truly customized album. I personally like to see empty holes as it reminds me to be ever looking. Jim http://www.brent-krueger.com/harcopages.html
You are welcome! I had to ditch all of my old Harco pages from 30 yrs ago as they had plasticizers, and I found this supplier. Glad to share! Jim
The weak 22-D is a consideration indeed. Wondering if I should look into buying one sooner rather than later though. Prices seem to be up across the board over the last couple years on some of the earlier Lincolns; I know much of that is due to the 2009 bicentennial series. I bet there will be lots of pressure on 22 weak D prices, thanks to so many collectors coming in and needing an example to fill the '22 plain album hole....
I don't see how you can call the 22 no D an error if the die's were intentionally, ( lets call it mutilated ). Just like the 3-legged buffalo. I call them extremely over-priced varieties, and there's plenty of them out there.
Dansco has distributors/sellers of "millimeter pages". They are blank pages with no dates below the holes but you order then by what the millimeter size of the coin is. In the case of the US small cent it's 19mm. Here's a dealer I found: http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/products/dansco-millimeter-pages/ The dates can be added with an ink pen or with dry transfer numbers or sticker backed date labels (the last one may not be archival). These are really good for odd mm size world coins too. Dansco will even do multiple size holes on one custom page for a price. You have to call them from what I've read.
Abe, I always had understood errors to be coins which present attributes not intentionally produced. Such as, Denver did not intentionally strike its cents in 1922 without the "D" evident; that was a "mistake"--weak dies. There are theories that the "D" was inadvertently ground off during die refinishing to address the problem, but as far as if that makes it a variety or an error, that may be up for debate. A variety, as I know, would be a coins that present intentional die modifications; such as a the wide "AM" Lincoln cents, 1970 "small date," etc....
You just said it, intentional die modification. This is a very debatable subject. The definition Abraded Die is also debatable, many of the old timers disagree with the term. If I'm not mistaken, both the 22 no-D, and the 3-legged buffalo, plus many others fit the abraded die definition. Debates can go on forever. The main thing to remember is, they're just collectables.
So true...not withstanding the "intent" issues on the behalf of the Mint, I imagine it really is a matter of open interpretation. Effects (striations, missing lettering, etc.) due to die polishing always got me to think that these should not be counted as distinctive varieties, but again, that's just my two cents on the matter. I know there are different schools of thought on the matter, so it does make for interesting conversation nevertheless. Thanks for sharing your inforamtion with me; it always help to know what other numismatists have to say about these issues.
Make sense to me, Ed! Either all or nothing when it comes to inclusion of those popular pieces. Come to think of it, doesn't Whitman Classic include the '55 Doubled-Die?....Maybe I'm mistaken on that.....
I really think that they put it in there because more people would be upset if they didn't put a hole there. I think more people want to have one of these in their set, rather then not. As to the question if you should get one now, due to supposed inflated prices in the future... I agree. Get one now. Unfortunately I had to sell mine, but I plan on making it purchase #1 when I have more cash flow. I really want to get it out of the way now. Welcome to the forum!
