Im still having a lot of trouble identifying sm from lg date 1970s's. anyone one else still have this problem? thnx
It is not the easiest differentiation, but look at this. http://lincolncentresource.com/smalldates/smalldates.html
I always look at it and see the '9' high between the '1' and '7' for the large date and even for the small date. And the '9' pointing towards the middle of the '7'.
Three things that may help. 1. If you emptied 100 BU rolls of 1970-S cents bought from every corner of the country you would probably have 100 rolls of 1970-S Large date coins. Not to discourage you but I personally have searched 2 Mint sewn bags and over 1000 rolls of 1970-S and have never found one in all of those. So you really are not going to be coming across them often. I have found a couple in Mint Sets and Proof sets though. Plus study the doubled dies for this coin there are dozens and 1 major for this date that I cannot wait to find someday. 2. More for help with your question though is the "0" on the large date generally has a little peak at 12 o'clock. Tilt the coin facing you away bottom toward your chin top slightly down and look across the coin from bottom of date towards the top - the large date "0" will have this little peak to it and then you will know the large date. The "0" on the Small Date will be much more concentric and smaller. 3. The 1970- Small Date generally will have a washed out appearance to the second half of the letters in Liberty. Once you master the Large date when you see a small date you will be sure of it. Ben Peters
The quickest and fastest way to determine whether a 1970-S Cent is a Large Date or Small Date is by exmaing the "7" itself! Check out the pictures in rockdude's posting. The Large date Variety has a valley (indented) in the junction in the cross (horizontal) bar and the tail (tilted vertical) bar. The Small Date Variety does not have this valley and the ridge on the cross bar and tail bar are joined. Frank
Here is a link to a site that explains and shows pictures of what I described. http://www.thecentproject.com/sort1970.php Frank
