1986 s Lincoln cent on wrong planchet??? Help!

Discussion in 'Error Coins' started by robertk310, Jul 29, 2016.

  1. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    Hi everyone,
    I found this specimen roll hunting the other day and from just holding it in my hands it felt different than ask the other cents that I held prior while looking at my cents from the rolls that day. It's a 1986 S Lincoln Cent that weighs more, is larger in diameter and thicker in width! Take a look at my photos and please tell me what I found-my first guess is that its struck on a wrong planchet???

    The comparison cent is a 1986 no MM Lincoln Cent. Thanks in advance!

    PS: I have more images, just hit the picture upload limit per post
     

    Attached Files:

  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    You have a proof cent. These are struck twice at higher pressure to bring the details up completely. The result being the wide square rims and the thicker edge all the way around because the rims fill completely. (You don't see that on the coins made for circulation. You may get a thick edge in one section but rarely if ever all the way around.)

    Proofs are made for collectors and since 1968 have pretty much all been from San Francisco with an S mintmark. Since 1975 San Francisco has only made S marked coins for circulation in 1979 and 1980 and those were SBA dollars only. Almost all other S mint coins after 1975 are proofs.

    The weight is slightly high but not significantly so.
     
  4. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    So, the best way to see that squared off edge is with an edge photo...thanks, I'm such a dummy that never occurred to me...duh
     
  5. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

    Proof. Good roll searching find, only found a few proof cents.
     
  6. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    Agreed. After I submitted this post,, I was looking at the obverse of both side by side through a loop and noticed that Lincoln's cameo on this coin seemed frosted and that's when I had my aha moment. It's hard to see due to the coins discoloration b but it's there. I'll snap a photo of it when I get home and upload it. Due to its condition Ford this coin have any added value and how would it be graded? It still a proof but clearly circulated. Can't believe people pop open proof sets and send these coins into general circ
     
  7. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

    Seeing the S should have been the aha moment, fyi.

    And there's lots of reasons proofs go into circulation. Kid steals/spends it, collector mishandled (scratch /smudge) and dumps it, etc.
     
    Agilmore01 likes this.
  8. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

    Sorry, also for value. In theory it's worth more than a cent, but in practice, there are tens of thousands available right now without damage for less than a dollar. No way that would sell as a temporary hole filler.
     
  9. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    Thanks Lon and everyone else for your expertise. The s mm should have given it away like you said but I'm just a beginner and I'm learning! ☺

    Thanks again for all the feedback, I'm just going to hold onto it as this my first proof find while roll hunting! It was fun finding a coin actually worth posting about. I'll get that cameo close-up to show off the frosting when I get home.
     
  10. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    I think my mind is playing tricks on me! In my attempts at capturing the frosted remains on the cameo, I noticed something different about the mint mark. Again, is my mind paying tricks me or does the mint mark look like the S is over a D? I've read about some coins being verified as S over D, so now I'm wondering if it is or if I should simply put this coin in my pocket and spend it the first opportunity I get?

    Thanks again for your added feedback!
     

    Attached Files:

  11. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

    I hear what you're saying, but usually if you hear hoof beats, think horse. Not zebra.
     
  12. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    Or worse yet, donkey!
     
  13. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    Are you saying that after '75, almost all s mm's are proofs? Other than '79&'80, are there any other exceptions to this rule?
     
  14. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

    Check the red book.
     
  15. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    S Mint coins after 1975 that are NOT proofs,

    40% silver bicentennial quarters, halves, and dollars. Made for sale to collectors in a three coin set. (These come in proof as well)

    1979, 80 and 81 SBA dollars, The 79 and 80 coins were made for circulation the 1981 coins were mint set and a couple of souvenir sets only.

    Starting in 2012 they started striking ATB quarters in circulation strike quality, about a million coins of each design. These were not released for circulation but were sold in rolls directly to collectors.

    I think that is all of them.

    So the only ones you are likely to find in circulation are the 79 and 80 SBA's. On rare occasions the 81 S SBA or ATB quarters will turn up (Some collectors searched rolls of the ATB quarters and then dumped the rest at the banks, especially with the 2012 and 2013's). The 40% bicentennial VERY rarely show up, but I have found one of the half dollars.

    After 1967 but before 1975 they made cents for circulation 1968 -74, and nickels for circulation 1968 - 70.
     
    Last edited: Aug 2, 2016
  16. robertk310

    robertk310 Active Member

    Thanks for the wealth of info provided, Conder101! Funny you should mention nickels for circulation 1968-70... I just pulled a 1970 s nickel out of a roll I picked up at the PO today. It's definitely seen better days, but it's a 1970 s nickel none the less (probably also worth just this much in its condition, hahaha).
     

    Attached Files:

Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page