Hi! So in June I began to collect coins after a 1920 1cent peaked my interest. Anywhoo tonight (actually last night since its after midnight now) I began to search for my 1986 1cent I found in June which has no FG initials on the reverse. It is clean slate no FG. The words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA does not have thick lettering nor are they too thin. However, the words ONE CENT lettering are thin but clear and visible. Its actually very pretty. On the obverse, the word TRUST has also thin lettering but also clear and visible. There seems to be only a slight doubling on the shoulder back but not sure as whats there is so very suttle. The tone of this cent seems to be a touch of brown with reddish tone to it. So my point here is while in my search for my 1986 I found a 1987 also with no FG on the obverse. There is a very very suttle F but it actually looks like a little speck as it is so very small. The full F and G is simply no there. The words ONE CENT looks like any other cent (normal), yet in the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, AMERICA is quite visible but has a almost melting into the background look (for lack of better description). The letters seem to be drowing into the background??? Please forgive me as I have tried to take photos but do not have an adequate camera. What if anything (and Im sure there is, you smart people you!) can anyone share with me with regard to the cents with no FG. After looking at thousands of coins this sure seems strange to me and would love it if I had some input on this. I have been reading books and go into as many websites as I can to learn as I go (and boy is there much to learn) and even been to coinshows to get a feel, clarity and understanding about the world of coincollecting. Yet no matter how much I read, there are still so many questions, hence my registering to Cointalk. And I thank you as your help is greatly appreciated.
Welcome to the forum cherrypickermom. I would look up info on grease filled dies and you will see the many examples of what they produce. I suspect that's what's going on with your coins.
Wow, thank you rockdude. I could see where grease filled die could be the issue with the 1987 coin as its obvious. But the 1986 is not as obvious as it seems a clean no FG. But certainly I much appreciate your help as so much of the coin terminology I am still trying to grasp. Looking forward to viewing your find. Have a great day.
The fact that the '86 appears "clean" has little bearing on whether it is a grease-filled die or not. It really doesn't take a lot of debris to fill any one of the small, incuse elements on a Lincoln cent. Chris
Cherrypickermom- It could be grease, but I suspect an overpolished die. I see this quite frequently on these two years. If you have a Cherrypicker's Guide, look at the 1969-D Lincoln Cent that is listed for having had the designers initials polished off the die.
Thank you jallengomez. Yes my 1986 looks just like this 1969D. There is no sign the FG was ever there. Have a great day!
A question here. With the Zincolns, does anyone save the grease filled die coins ? I mean, I save all copper in tubes, but see scads of weak lettering to filled dies. Especially common are the missing or weak "of". I have tossed back missing "FG", but where does the line lay ? Thanks, gary
Gary- I usually keep anything that has a design element completely missing, but if there is still any trace of the element I don't save them. I also see a lot with the weak "of". I think this had to do with metal flow into the obverse dies they were using. If I remember correctly that's why they revised the portrait in 1991(I believe it was) with a shallower bust of Lincoln. Jody
