I'm trying to identify whether each of these 1979 S mintmarks (originally from a single proof set) is type 1 or type 2. I have my ideas about each of these, especially the obvious ones (and maybe they all are), but I'd like to make sure I'm doing this correctly. Any help would be appreciated. Also, I know the lighting isn't the greatest (especially on the nickel), but I did the best I could with what I have available at the moment. I hope to put together a better lighting setup for coin photography at some point. Lincoln Cent: Jefferson Nickel: Roosevelt Dime: Washington Quarter: Kennedy Half: Susan B. Anthony Dollar: Thanks, Kris
Thanks. That was one of the pages I read about this, but I'm still unsure about a couple of the ones I posted. It's clear to me that the half and dollar are type 1. I'd say the cent and maybe the dime are type 2. While the fields are not completely clear in these, the general shape seems to look more like the type 2 examples I've seen. I'm unsure about the nickel and quarter, as both seem to fall in between most of the examples of type 1 and 2 that I've seen in photos such as the ones on that page. I was just hoping to get some others to give their opinions on these. Thanks, Kris
In the 79 series the give away on two's are the bulbous ends Type ones are easy with the fill ins 81 are much more difficult to tell but they also have distinctive diagnostics I used to own the #1 registry set at the NGC Registry - Sold it last year
Thanks. I had just read a few places not to rely on the S being filled or clear alone, so I wasn't sure about the quarter and the nickel, as the shape seemed to be somewhere in between. Additionally, I thought I had read somewhere that the highest relief part of the S was flat on the type 2 (the "plateau" that can be seen on the cent and dime) and more pointed on the type 1 (as can be seen sticking out of the blobs a bit on the half and dollar), so that was also making me question it. Thanks for your help! Kris
On the type 1 the mintmark looks like a blob. If it almost looks it was put there with an eye-dropper, then it's a type 1. In your case, the nickel and quarter are type 2 and if you examine your own photographs, I think they are quite clinical of the difference between type 1 and 2 mintmarks for 1979. That is to say that the half and the dollar are both just absolutely typical of type 1 mintmarks, and the others are well photographed examples of type 2 mintmarks.
I have noticed with "Hybrid" sets that contain both types that the Type 2's start with the cent and then will keep going until the first Type 1. Then the rest are Type 1. So you can get all type of mixes - for example cent and nickel Type 2 and the rest Type 1, or cent, nickel, dime, quarter, half Type 2 then the SBA Type 1. So, as you can guess from this, the SBA is the lowest mintage Type 2 and the cent has the highest Type 2 mintage.
Not necessarily Mike, not all type 1's are blobs. The blobs are those that I posted below, but there are type 1 mint marks that are merely a filled S. The blobs are the last stage of the type 1's when the die was almost worn out.
well, true, but the converse is true... although not all type 1s are blobs, if it looks like a blob, it IS a type 1
1979 proofs........................... ...........more to look at. http://koinpro.tripod.com/Articles/1979SAnd1981STypes.htm