These are probably questions I should know the answer to but don't: Why was it that larger denominations prior to 1909 had mint marks on the obverse and smaller denominations had the mint mark on the reverse? Furthermore, why did the mint decide to change the mint mark position in 1968? I guess what I am getting at is, what makes the mint decide/change the location of the mint mark and does it really matter in the end?
all of the seated series had the MM on the reverse, only the capped half had the O on the obverse. going off of memory i think other then the first two years (1916,1917) of the walking half and all of the standing liberty quarters all of the mintmarks were on the reverse with the exception of the cent which had its MM on the obverse starting 1909 with the Lincoln series.
Does it matter ? I'd say no. Why did they do it ? Originally it was just the way the coin was designed. I think they changed it in '68 more as a matter of convenience than anything else.
There was also one or two gold issues that had the mintmark on the obverse in the 1830's but that didn't last long.
