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Message:: [QUOTE="World Colonial, post: 2451347, member: 78153"]By your definition, any coin can be a key date.  As I stated in my last post, this renders the term meaningless. In my first reply, I used the wrong context.  I agree keys don't have to be rare because the coins from the most widely collected 20th century US series are certainly not remotely rare.  However, when collecting up to maybe the late 1960's or early 1970's was predominantly out of pocket change, the coins I am describing were at least hard if not effectively impossible to find (though not buy).  This never did apply to the 49-S dime or if did, this is the first time in 40+ years of collecting I have heard of it because the price in my old Red Books certainly doesn't reflect it. The definition used here for "key" reminds me of a prior exchange I had on the term "trophy".  When I hear these terms, I actually expect it to denote some significance, as in distinction.  I found out elsewhere that apparently trophy doesn't mean much at all and from the replies here, neither does key date.  Both are the equivalent of a participation trophy just for showing up.[/QUOTE]