Lincoln Key Dates

Is there an officiallay accepted list of Lincoln Key Date coins or is this term more of a marketing term for dealers.

Either way what do you guys include in a 'Key" date list?

 

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1909-S VDB
1909-S
1914-D
1931-S
1924-D

Is the main list.....there are many more that are hard to find.....and alot more if you are looking for UNC coins.

Speedy

 

1909s,1909svdb,1914d,1922plain.By comparison,excluding errors,(and some call the '22 plain an error) everything else is relatively easy to get in decent grades.
As far as key errors:1944 D over S, 1955 Double Die', other Lincolns that have double die errors are on the obverse of some cents dated 1936, 1972, 1984 and 1995 and on the reverse of some cents dated 1983.

 

To really answer your question I don't think there is an actual list anywhere that states KEY dates of any coins. This is a term used by almost all coin collectors and dealers to discribe a coin THEY think is a tuff one to acquire or is rather on the expensive side. With Lincoln Cents most of the ones posted here are in that catagory. A way to look at this subject would be to check out a book such as the Red Book or one of many web sites where the quantity of such coins are listed. Then figuring that there are approximately 200 to 300 Million people in just the US with about half to young or to old to collect coins. another half in jail, nut houses, on the run from the law, homeless. Leaving about 1 % of the remainder collecting US coins only. There are now about 250,000 of these collectors after Lincoln Cents. Lets say, for discussion only, that 1 % of that, about 2,500 can actually afford the more expensive coins. Of these only a few know where these coins are located leaving about 500 collectors of pennies. Of those left I have threatened most to leave Lincoln Cents alone leaving only 2 left for all those pennies which is you and me.
Back to your question. Any coin we are now missing is a KEY date.

 

The keys to a low grade set (AG-Fine) are 09SVDB, 55DDO, 14D, 22 Plain, 31S, and 09S (in that order). If you are collecting MS65red coins then that changes quite a lot. The Keys are the 22 Plain, 55DDO, 26S, 25S, 14D, 23S, and 20S (in that order). If you don't include errors, then remove the 55DDO and the 22Plain from the lists.

That said, it is mostly a marketing ploy.

 

You forgot one.....S VDB....

Speedy

 

IMO...those mintages less than 20,000,000 are tough to find. Once you get below 10,000,000, they are even more "keyed", and so forth. All the above examples have low mintages and their survival rates are low...hence adding to their rarity.

Ask for getting them in RED...even tougher. For instance I would rather have a 1931-D MS65 Red 1c instead of the 31-S in the same condition. Why? People hoarded the 31-S because the low mintage numbers quickly became public. Actually, it is pretty hard to to find a 31-S in EF conditions or LESS. Now, try finding a 31-D in MS Reds. It is VERY difficult.

NEVER buy dates like the 14-D or 1909S VDB unless you trust your grading skills and understand counterfeiting. Stick with the TPG's for these key dates.

 

Not even close! That list is for the MS65RD coins. In 65RD all of those coins sell for over $12,500. The 09S VDB was so popular at the time that it was hoarded by numerous people and it is now so common in 65RD that even with its immense popularity it is only worth about $3500 and is not even in the top 25 most valuable lincoln cents (in that grade). I didn't forget it, it just doesn't belong on that list.

 

But finding one is harder than it sounds.....I've seen one MS64RD and that is the highest I've seen in any dealers or show.

Speedy

 

I saw a "screaming" Red MS67RD PCGS at the FUN show last January. Best one I have held or seen! Saw a MS66BN PCGS yesterday at the Palm Beach Show in FL. They are out there...bring deep pockets!

 

Key dates for the regular series would be
1909 S
1909 S VDB
1914 D
1931S

Key dates for a variety nut like myself would include :
1922 Plain
1943 Bronze
1943 D Bronze
1943 S Bronze
1944 Zinc-Plated Steel
1955 DDO
1958 DDO
1969 S DDO
1970 S DDO proof
1972 DDO
1972 S DDO
1980 DDO
1982 DDO
1983 DDR
1984 Doubled Ear DDO
1984 Doubled Bust DDO
1992 D Wide AM Reverse
1993 (D)? Close AM
1994 DDR
1995 DDO
1997 DDO Doubled Ear
1998 wide AM
1999 wide AM
1999S Close AM proof
2000 Wide AM

There are hundreds of other varieties in the Lincoln cent series but the ones listed above are some of the more well known and sought after varieties.
Have Fun,
Bill

 

If you have the money, they are relatively easy to locate. I could recommend a dealer if you're in the market. They aren't the kind of coin that you keep in your shop or small show inventory, they are just too expensive to just sit on the shelf eating up your investment capital. It is the kind of coin that you get a dealer to find for you and he only buys it when he has a client to quickly resll it to (you).

 

I'm not in the market and never will be more than likely

Speedy

 

I like those early matte proofs (cheap for their rarity).

 

Key dates are the ones that you probably will never find in your search efforts. There are also some harder date ones that can be found in wheat lots, but you will be hard pressed to find them.

This list includes:

1910-S, 11-S, 12-DS, 13-S, 14-S, 15-DS, 23-S, 24-D, 26-S, 33-DS.

The 21 and 21s get an honorable mention. I have searched about 5000 wheats so far and only found 1 of each, also the 55-S is pretty tough.

 

Key dates for a variety nut like myself would include :

1943 Bronze
1943 D Bronze
1943 S Bronze


Bill have these ever been proven to exist?

Esky

 

They sure have.....
http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=13349

Speedy

 

I have never seen or heard of a 43-S Bronze before. It's impossible to know what ex-mint employees still have tucked away in their locked safety deposit boxes. There have been many 'errors' in the past that were either intentionally made or rescued from the smelter or waffler.

 

The answer also depends on what grade you're looking for. In XF a '22 is tougher than an '09-S vdb
and in F a '14-D is tougher. When you get to high grades you'll find many of the memorials can be
as tough as some of the old key dates. '26-S is toughest in high grade. Try finding coins like '77-D
or '72-S.

Then it gets even more complicated if you're seeking primarily full strikes. Here you'll find keys like
the '72-D.

 

So many answers.
No wonder someone would have difficulty determining what 'key' meant!
Key is just a word meaning rarity, or hard to find.
There are 'key' coins because of mintage, 'key' coins for condition, 'key' coins for errors, 'key' coins for composition, VAM's & Patterns.
A lot depends on what you collect & how far you want to expand your collection.