Lincoln Cents from the ‘60s

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1965 Special Mint Set (SMS)
Coining of proof cents were suspended for 1965, 66, and 67. These Special Mint Set coins were available instead. They are better than business strikes, but don’t use the specially polished planchets of proofs.


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Your SMS makes me wonder if mine is really an SMS or just a nice business strike. Once they are removed from the mint packaging, how would you really tell?

 

1966


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1966 SMS


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1967


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1967 SMS
Looks very close to a proof, except just not as mirror-like. We will see what happens when mint marks and proofs return in 1968.


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1968


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The 67 SMS are the best year for SMS IMO!

 

I bought an unopened 1967 SMS set about two years ago. I did undo the flap and slide the plastic holder out, but I did not take any pictures. I wonder if it is as good at the one I posted? So tempting to take it out of the original packaging just for a little while…

 

Those open VERY easily!

 

1968-D
The master die is getting pretty worn out. There were new dies in 1916 with amazing detail in the devices, but then they went ahead and used the obverse for 52 more years. The lettering is bleeding into the rim and there is no evidence of any beard detail at all. Seems like the mint should have done something about this!


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1968-S
The San Francisco mint takes up production of cents for the first time since 1955.


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1968-S Proof
This represents the first time San Francisco produced proofs. Even on the proof, the master die has worn so much that the obverse letters touch the rim. The reverse master die was only ten years old, and no proofs were coined for three of those years, so it is still immaculate.


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1969
At long last, the mint reworked the obverse master die. The lettering is moved away from the rim, and the spacing looks more like that on the reverse. Some hair detail is restored to the hair and beard, and, well, let’s just take a look.



We see that the creases have returned in Lincoln’s coat, the tie is crisper, and the bust has moved away from the rim and date.

Here we have the obverse and reverse, which seem better matched in quality. The smaller bust requires less metal to strike, leaving more available to fill out the steps and improving the strike on both sides.


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1969-D


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