Which u.s. coin has the most variations that are not errors or double dies ? My answer The 1982 centsThe 7 Business Strike Varieties: 1982 Large Date Copper 1982 Large Date Copper plated Zinc 1982 Small Date Copper 1982 Small Date Copper plated Zinc 1982 D Large Date Copper 1982 D Large Date Copper plated Zinc 1982 D Small Date Copper plated Zinc There is also a 1982 S Large Date Copper ProofBackgroundNot surprisingly, our government makes a handsome profit when it creates coins and paper money. This profit on coins, less the cost of production, is called "seigniorage" and of great concern to the government. For example, it might cost a few cents to make a quarter, so Uncle Sam pockets the rest as profits. In the early 1980's, with the increasing costs of labor, dies, and metals, it was costing the government nearly a penny to make a penny. This low profit situation became intolerable. Unable to get Congress to approve eliminating the cent, the mint decided to make it out of the cheapest junk metal that would still work in toll machines and other applications. In addition, mint officials didn't want to upset the public in any way. Thus, the metal decided upon was to be zinc and the cents were to have the very thin copper plating. The mint was especially happy to get away from copper because the public tended to hoard cents when copper prices were up. 1982 was chosen as the transition year to put this change into effect, and many millions of solid copper and copper-coated zinc cents were produced in 1982 so as to discourage saving or hoarding by the public. Stashing and hoarding of coins is always the greatest fear of mint officials, and one of the reasons why they are sometimes called before Congress to explain coin shortages.Why did the mint Create 7 Varieties?They didn't. The die varieties were noticed by coin collectors, and since collectors normally relish small details, these varieties became popularized and now show up in coin albums that way. Remember, the mint stays away from anything that causes the public to hoard coins and disavows all varieties, even if collectors see the obvious. The mint's job is to keep coins moving in and out of jars, desks, etc. Identifying the 7 VarietiesThe term copper, bronze and brass are all used interchangeably, but not necessarily correctly, to describe our cents. I will use the word "copper". Remember, all cents before 1982 are solid copper and cents after 1982 are copper-coated zinc. Cents of 1982 are the only ones in question. First of all, 1982 cents can be Philadelphia mint (no mintmark) or Denver mint (D mintmark). Secondly, 1982 cents can be a large date or a small date. One of the best ways to distinguish is to look at the number "2" in the date. The large date "2" has a thick, fat base with no curve. The small date "2" has a delicate base with a slow curve at it's base. Thirdly, the solid copper cents weigh approximately 3 grams, while the copper-coated zinc ones weigh 2.5 grams. For this you would need a scale to weigh the difference. Build your own Coin Scale - it's easy!!!You can make your own scale that will differentiate between ZINC and COPPER 1982 cents. All you need is a tongue depressor, a wooden rod, glue, and cent dated before 1982 and a cent dated after 1982. Place the round wooden rod under the tongue depressor as shown. You must find the correct position to place the rod using the two cents (one copper dated before 1982, and one zinc dated after 1982). The rod must be place in a spot that makes the depressor go up when a copper coin is placed on the end, and say put when a zinc coin is placed on the end. See Below: Once you have calibrated the scale, use the glue to attached the wooden rod. Test your two cents again, and draw a line at the best spot to place the cents. Now, try some 1982 cents. The 1982 cents that make the scale go down are copper, and the ones that do not make the scale go down are zinc ____________________________________________ Ok there is also two major errors listen in the cherrypickers guide volume 1, 5th eedition , the fs-01-1982-101(034.5) and the fs-01-1982-1801.
@kaosleeroy108 Your question is misleading. Doubled dies are varieties. Also, you asked others to name a U.S. coin, not a particular date. This could lead others to think that a "type" coin would be applicable. If we were to exclude just errors, then there would be a good argument for the Morgan dollar having the most varieties. Chris
1794 large cents have 70 different varieties. No doubled dies, no errors, it's just the way the dies were made. It's what happens when you makes each die by hand. 2009 cent has 20 varieties not including errors or doubled dies. 8 business strike quality in Cu plated Zn, 8 with satin finish in bronze, and 4 in proof finish in bronze.
