1981 no mint mark penny possibly a proof?

Hey friends, well this is my 2nd month that I have really made coin collecting a hobby of mine. So I found this 1981 no mint mark penny and at first I thought it was going to be a newer penny since it was so shinny. I read that proofs aren't normally in circulation but then I read what makes a coin a proof and it does have the qualities of one. The ridges are nice and high and well defined and it's appearance is like of a new penny. I'll post pics up and I hope I'll get some answers to see what I have. Thx for your time guys and girls.

 

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Your photos are not the best but it looks like a normal business strike that has seen little to no circulation until lately.

 

proofs have a s mint mark

 

Crop your pictures, there's more background than coin. I can't tell anything.

 

Proof manufacture in general --->

For all years prior to 1965 (1964 & before), there was no mint mark on the proof manufacture coins. They were all manufactured in Philadelphia. Beginning in 1968, proof coins were manufactured at the San Francisco mint and they should have an S mint mark.

I agree with Mr Hobo. The 1981 cent with no mint mark is probably a nice business strike that has experienced little circulation.

"Proof" is a method of manufacturing.

 

i know this thats why i said proofs have s refering to that year of penny

 

There were a few rare proof coins issued in sets with no S. I would check with the Redbook of cherrypickers guide if you are ever curious.

However, think of the odds. First, it would have to be a proof coin in circulation. That in itself is pretty long odds, since they were sold at premiums to collectors. Second, not only must it be a proof in circulation, it has to be one of maybe .1 percent of proof coins for that particular year that MAY have been a year with non-mintmarked prrof coins.

Overally odds of finding a non-mintmarked proof coin in circulation, (in the years 1968-date where they should have a mintmark)? IDK, maybe 1 in 5 billion chances, and I seriously think I am being very conservative. Might be closer to one in a trillion.

Its a good education OP. I am not begrudging the question, just stating the possibilities are so long that you would have a better chance of hitting the lottery, getting struck by lightning, and winning the lottery again.

 

Thank you, yeah I didn't do enough of homework on proofs. I was just really surprised to see this penny still shinning like a 2012 penny. Even more than that though, it has so little wear, I mean it has maybe some idk like 2 or 3 bearly visible marks. The back of the penny has no marks, plus I've found a fair share of 1980-1989 penny's. Mostly of the 80's penny's I've found we're the 84's and I've noticed that most 80's pennies have a real dark brown look due to the age and circulation of them, the whole reason why I'm explaining myself is because I wonder how this penny saw so little circulation? P.s. Would a penny lets say lost under a couch or something could have preserved this penny or would it still have gained some patina or some darkening due to just age?

 

Cent put into a jar when it was issued, and many coins put over it. I have some cents from about 1998 in the bottom of my jar in the bedroom i bet. Looks like someone emptied out a change jar.

 

Exactly.

 

Over 11k posts, bound to get one right every once in a while.

 

Blind squirrel. Broken clock. Etc.

 

This is weird, I was at a store towns away where I got my new looking no mint mark 1981 and now I found another one? What's going on?

 

Cents without mintmarks (also sounds like a numismatic band name) are struck in Philidelphia. They are in just good shape, nothing out of the ordinary.

 

There is plenty of data to be found at Websites like this one:

http://www.coincommunity.com/us_small_cents/1981_lincoln_memorial_cent.asp


Circulation Strikes: 7,481,750,000
Proof Strikes: 0
Content: 95% Copper 5% Tin/Zinc
Weight: 3.11 Grams

You have found two of them in nice preserved condition. :smile

 

It is possible that someone decided to get rid of their rolls of 1981 Lincolns.

The coins you're finding have obviously not seen circulation which means that they've been tucked away somewhere in your "banking" area. Could be rolls, could be from a change jar, or it could be dang near anything.

I recall going to the autoparts store on one day and receiving 4 new 1973-S Lincolns in change. I asked for more and came home with about 25 or 30 from the register drawer.

It happens..........but only those that actually "look", ever know about it!

Keep up the work. You're doing great!

 

Probably all came from the same person. I would bet on either someone on hard times having to use them to pay with, a relative who found or received them from a relative who had passed and just saw them as change, or maybe a kid dipped into his parents collection. Who knows, although you might ask the owner or clerk of the store where you got them if he has more/where he received them. Maybe you could set it up to get some more from him.

As an anecdote, I had a friend who worked the early morning shift at a BK and early in the morning quite a few older gentlemen would congregate there for coffee. One of them always paid his change with buffalo nickels so my friend was able to cash them out and grab them for me. Maybe he was just on hard times and needed to spend them, maybe he just wanted to put them back into circulation, who knows. But I did get some buffalo nickels for face, so give it a try and see if you can get some more!

 

Not to mention it would have to bea variety that no one has ever seen before. There are no known 1981 no mintmark proof varieties.