19-Something-S Cent: ID Help

Hey guys, I haven't posted or been active lately for whatever reason, I've been away from a lot of things for a while. Anyway, I was on Reddit and posted about this coin I needed help ID'ing. I got some help, but we couldn't pin down what it is exactly. We figured the third digit was either a 0 or five, but didn't know what came after it. If we can be sure the third digit is a 0, that would eliminate the need for finding the fourth. Anyway, I'm posting here to see if anyone has the skill or knowledge required to ID this thing. I'll link the post because I forgot how to attach images on pc. It should take you to my post with all the images. https://www.reddit.com/r/coincollec...cent/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

 

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Hard to tell but I think i see a 10 in the first picture.

 

I tried to make it a 1916 but the 0 part is too big for a 6.
1910.

 

Look for the VDB on the lower left corner of the bust. If it's there, then it cant be 1909-1917. If it's missing, it's an early S mint.

 

I'm having second thoughts myself. The spot that looks roundish, it could be just a nice big round acid bubble pit.
19?? D Final answer.

 

Picture isn't sharp enough to play detective here, I think. If we could see a serif, we might be able to diagnose the mintmark style. And check for the VDB on the bust. But this coin has been abused...perhaps too far to make a reasonable guess. But probably not a key date/mm coin anyway.

 

Personally, from the second picture, I thought the 3rd digit was a 2, but as already stated, the damage and quality of pictures makes ID extremely difficult.

 

No chance.

 

I have to agree with Lueds, it looks like a 1920 s to me

 

It is so damaged why even try ?

 

Echo........

 

No reason, just curious. Thought it might fill a hole in my folder, since I don't have very many.

 

Yeah I didn't see a VDB, and I'll have to take a look at the S again but I'm pretty sure it has a Serif. As for the picture quality, can't really get anything better. I do have a ring light magnifying glass as well as a loupe, but I can't get any pictures using both because I don't have three arms.

 

Admittedly, there are other, better coins to play detective with. But, the OP put up a challenge (may be impossible without a coin in hand). But no shortages on speculation and confusion.

@Noah Worke life is pretty tough without that third arm. I have to chuckle...I recall the juggling act not too long ago. I use a magnifying lighted ring to do the bulk of my searches, but I have an inexpensive AmScope for doing the detail work. The loupe is always in the pocket for a spot inspection. What I've found is that the quality of the photo usually trumps the magnification. The trick is to find the optimal distance for taking a shot of your coin where you don't have to use the magnification of the phone's camera to the point it pixelates your photo. Even as your photos sit, I couldn't even see a trace dimple at the bottom of the bust to suspect a VDB. And with the coin in hand, you should be able to see more than we can anyway. I can make out a serif...I think. But I can also see a bar of a D if I want to. Really hard to make out what you have there, but it's damaged a little too far to make out much. Here's a picture of a cent I found detecting as a kid. Can you make out the date? Easier in hand for sure.

 

Nice find,the date is quite visible.

 

You may need to fix the arm problem. Maybe try using a foot

 

Here are some more photos, I edited some to increase the sharpness and left some normally, so here are some more angles. I checked again, it's definitely an S with serifs.

 

Pictures are better, but the acid has destroyed the coin and eroded the disrupted material.

On another note, a small setup like this will help you steady the shot especially when stacking the phone's camera with the loupe. I'm not using the loupe in this setup, but the can sets the distance allowing your free hand to hold the loupe steady. Also, try to select a flat colored backing to setoff the subject coin. Selection is important especially with the different colors a coin takes on and the differences between materials (copper/bronze/silver/nickel/gold). Note the the chartreuse background reflected light washing out the coin in the viewing screen. But the blue was a better choice and helped bring out the coin and it's details. You might imagine holding the loupe under your phone's camera (but will probably have to raise your coin to a more optimal level. I hope this helps.

 

@Noah Worke I took a quick stab at a setup that might help -

 

^^^very creative and effective i would recommend this.