Finding Lincoln Cent Varieties...not for valuable ones but for fun?

I have two boxes of Lincoln pennies. I have usually gone through these for wheat cents and Canadian cents but the yield keeps getting lower and lower and the boxes are harder to get.

If (with the right guidebook) I went through these pennies would there be a likelihood of finding varieties? I'm not looking into find anything valuable, just the "Aha! I found one!" experience.

Would a search be feasible, or frustrating?

I've gone through Dave B.'s book on pennies and last year's Mega Book--can't seem to find enough information there. Maybe I'm missing it?

Have looked for a Cherrypicker's Guide but they are selling for over 300.00 right now.

Any thoughts? I'm grateful for your ideas.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Just a few of many sites packed with variety images and descriptions
http://varietyvista.com/
http://www.lincolncentresource.com/
https://doubleddie.com/

 

Thanks, "expat." Each of these webs sites is incredibly well-organized and helpful. I might even describe them as inexhaustible and that is a good thing. This hobby never ceases to amaze me, there are always so many new things to learn. One of the websites had a list of "varieties for sale" and I had to smile when I saw one of the Lincoln varieties was "extra eyebrow for $1.99." The group of collectors specializing in this looks like an excellent group to join.

 

I’m not a variety collector as it would drive me nuts. Have fun if you do so.

 

Time will tell about the fun part. A little bit of OCD helps. It can drive one a little bit nuts having to be home all the time so this area of collecting might be a nice diversion. I have one nice Morgan and the little spiral bound book of the 100 top VAMs. But the price of collecting Morgans can get pretty high, I think. It's nice to handle lots of coins looking for things. I miss going to shows and being able to see so many coins--reading about numismatics is great but the coins add another dimension for many.

 

I can't believe that the CPG is selling for that much. I just saw one the other day in Barnes and Noble for face value $40.
Maybe I should be selling my copies, I have 3 of them.
Or buy the one I saw and turn it for a profit. LOL

 

I'm getting more and more interested in these. I didn't know BN had coins for sale. I have seen some on A.com but they seem to be over-priced.

 

Just books, no coins. Honestly the websites that Expat gave you are much more in detail, and show the die markers and MM placement.
The CPG only lists what they think are the most popular variety's, It would be impossible for them to get every variety in the book.

 

You have the time, and have the coins, then it will be a nice diversion from other things, so go for it.

I, personally, wouldn't waste my time on any cent after 1982, but to each their own.

 

Hi Differential, depends on what personality you are really if it's something you'll enjoy or not, it's like crochet or knitting, people either stick with it or get bored after an hour and getting nowhere and seem to put off continuing.

You won't find varieties if you don't look for them though, and two circulated boxes can become a long mission. I think it will be fruitful to some degree, there's so many, many, minor varieties to look for, and as some have said, the CPG is only going to get you so far while the website resources are much more detailed and up to date.

I will say this, you'll either be looking things up forever back and forth in a book or web pages, or sorting the coins forever and tackling them one date and mintmark at a time. And I'd say sorting them first is the better of the two options so you can look at the same coins one after another, even select date and MM that has more varieties to look for and have the reference material at the ready for that particular coin, it's just more thorough a method.

 

As Mountain Man stated, pre 1982 are keepers. It's fun when you find them, but it is time consuming. Enjoy and good luck. Thanks for sharing.

 

Thanks JB. I think there's a switch on my personality that goes small details/large picture. Usually it's on large picture. I'm thinking I'll first sort the cents according to decades, then by year, then by mintmark. There's a Zen in that kind of back and forth motion. I am still learning to identify Early American Cents and one does go back and forth in the book. I've had many more misses than hits.

Large Canadian Cents have about 80 varieties in the 2011 Charlton Book. Then I guess there are hundreds and hundreds of micro-varieties. I think all the major varieties are chosen and you have to buy them. So gone are the days when one can have a huge pile of Vicky cents and go through them and find the varieties. The same with the early American coppers--you can attribute one if you purchase it, but there will never be the opportunity to go through a large number of them and look for varieties that way.

If/when it gets frustrating, I'll try to take a deep breath and shift over to something else.

And if it's too frustrating, I'll have incredible respect for those who have discovered varieties and still look for them.

 

Yes--the heavier feel and nice ring-tone of the 95% copper cents makes one aware that these are real money. The debased planchets after these don't have, for many (including me) the allure of unadulterated coins.

 

IHC's are a little more interesting, although getting harder and harder to find for a decent price. Quite a few varieties still available and since they are older, a little more historical than Lincolns. I do agree that the Zincolns are for the most part an abomination of Lincoln cents. When 2009 rolled around I was hoping that (for collectors only) the U.S. Mint would keep producing the bronze cents, charging a small premium just so that they could keep producing the Zincolns for circulation with a smaller deficit for overall production. Win-Win for collectors and the Mint. $10 for p&d enhanced uncirculated (including p mintmark), $15 for w enhanced uncirculated, and $20 for s proofs. Say there are one million Lincoln cent collectors just in the U.S. that would bring in some nice change for the Mint every year. This would also set the stage for continuing the bronze Lincolns if the Mint decided to do away with circulating cents. Just daydreaming though.

 

W64--what a great idea. I hope someone at the mint will read your idea! Since we're brainstorming....how about 100% copper Lincoln cents??? I didn't know that there are one million Lincoln cent collectors.

 

I don't either, just pulled it out of my head since I have read that there are more Lincoln cent collectors than any other coin.

 

Well, there are real numbers, numismatic number estimates, and numbers used by fishing anglers....each has its' purpose...

 

As I've stated before quite a few times, I think Canada missed the boat by not continuing to produce "not-for-circulation" cents after discontinuing striking circulation cents in 2012.

 

I stop at 1958. I hate those newfangled "Memorials". Not kidding.

@differential, if you find yourself getting into Lincolns and their Varieties, it would be good to join the Lincoln Cent Forum. Lots of folks there sharing their finds, new research, etc. And a lot of them are interested in Memorials as well as Wheaties. Check them out here:

http://www.lincolncentforum.com/forum/forum.php

And there is also CONECA, which does all coin types:

https://board.conecaonline.org/forum

 

rmpsrpms--Thank you very much for these helpful links.

The Lincoln Cent Forum is comprehensive and user-friendly. Although I gather that most of the information now is online (and free), this forum does have a nice section on books. Books are great to have to see the evolution and development of the hobby, and I view them as a time-machine-of-sorts to visit the hobby in a particular period. Metaphorically (and maybe just to me) a book can serve as a "die state" or "die stage" of the hobby at that moment in time.

I noticed that 4 of the books from the ANA course (those on varieties, counterfeiting, mint state grading, and mint processes) are on the reading list there. I have these books and re-read them, they are packed with information. It's nice to see the ANA get some attention to its technical and helpful books.

After looking at the CONECA website, I decided to join. At 25.00, it is a bargain.

Thanks again for referring me to these two websites, and I thank everyone who has responded to this thread.