US Cent Collection

Hey Brandon! Welcome!

Your 1929 penny, which is cataloged as Krause-Mishler (KM) number 838, is made out of bronze (copper and tin). It should weigh about 9.40 grams and have a diameter of 31 millimeters. The Brits minted more than 49 million of those for circulation; they made a number of proofs but I don't know how many. I'm no expert, but I do not think that coin of yours is a proof. I don't know why someone wrote PF on the 2x2; could be the name of someone who owned it (e.g., Peter Frankenstein or even Peter Frampton). A proof of that coin, in proof-63 condition (the condition of coins are measured from zero to 70), could possibly be sought by someone who was willing to pay $1,600-plus. The condition of your coin (again, no expert, just my most humble opinion) is fine to maybe very fine - which would put it somewhere between fifty-cents and $2.00. Well, after taking another look, I think fine or less is probably more accurate (but I'm no expert). I can accurately tell you that I would pay no more $1 for it, most likely much less since I have a KM# 838.

To answer your specific question - "How can one tell if they are proof coins" - I am hesitant to reply but will try to explain. The coin will be amazingly beautiful, with shiny or mirror-like surfaces. The details of the coin will be incredible and sharp and distinctive. When a mint makes a proof coin, they stamp it more than once, or shine up the dies to create an incredible coin. Now, a proof coin can wind up in circulation and get as worn as yours, but I don't know whether that means it really qualifies as a proof coin anymore. Await the reply of someone with more technical knowledge than I.

 

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Another old coin.

 

Lots of oldie

 

1962 Oldie

 

1968

 

Man I'm sure picking up lots of old cents (1950-1960s).
So far I have sorted 404 cents. I'm getting rich...LOL..

 

View attachment 812665 View attachment 812666

 

1961 D. Oldie

 

Robert – your post about collecting Lincolns reminded me of when I started collecting, in the early 1960s, and how collecting really has not changed much from that long ago period. The hobby has come full circle, as again it is possible to assemble a complete date and mint mark set of the current Lincoln cent series strictly from circulation (except the 1975 to date S-mint proof-only issues which must be purchased). Although part of the Lincoln cent series that started in 1909, it is legitimate to consider the Lincoln Memorial reverse design as a separate series. And you can easily continue with the four different 2009 Lincoln Bicentennial reverse designs and the new shield reverse type that started in 2010.

Searching bank rolls (or $50 bags) of cents would potentially yield some real rarities. Back in the pre-1965 years, while the possibility of coming across a prize such as the 1909-S and -S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 “no-D,” 1931-S, and 1955 double die Lincolns was not much more than a hope and a prayer, some were still out there for the finding, making roll searching even more fun.

Today it takes a similar prayerful hope to find Memorial cent rarities, notably the 1960-D / D large / small date; 1969-S double die obverse; 1972 double die obverse; 1983 double die reverse; 1984 double ear; 1992-D close AM; and 1999 wide AM. The 1969-S double die is rarer than the famed 1955 double die in the wheat ear series. Yes, finding modern valuable coins can be tough and one might never see them in circulation no matter how many rolls of cents he or she looks through. But again, that was also the case with collecting 50 or more years ago.

Back “then,” any 10 bank rolls of cents would yield a few coins that were 40 or more years old, usually ranging from “G” to “F” but even an occasional “EF.” Dates all the way back to the first year of issue, 1909, were common, and even the occasional Indian cent in the 1880s or ‘90s, coins 70 or 80 years old, might also turn up, albeit only an “AG” or “G” specimen at best.

“Now,” any 10 bank rolls of cents from your local bank may also almost assuredly yield a few Memorial reverse cents 40 or more years old, even all the way back to 1959, the first year of issue. And like in the 1960s when the previous type (Indians) occasionally popped up, today the previous wheat ear reverse design will occasionally turn up, usually from the 1940s or ‘50s. But you will also on occasion come across cents that are 80 or more years old, as dates back into the 1930s or even older are still out there. Today, a 1965 cent is “older” than was a 1915 cent in 1960. And finding a “wheatie” cent from the 1950s or ‘40s is comparable to finding an Indian cent in the 1960s.

You can consider your Lincoln Memorial set complete without these varieties, or can designate some or all as necessary for a complete set totaling 140 or more coins (not counting proofs which must be purchased) for many hours of roll searching fun. The point is, the coins, and fun, are still out there waiting for the lucky searcher. Making the quest to put together a Lincoln cent collection from circulation a fun and rewarding challenge again!

So enjoy!
Greg M.

 

Robert, seems to me you’re getting enough dates to put the best ones in an album. Or are you already doing that?

 

Im not putting them in an album. I only count them by year and mint mark. Its just too much coins and space to track in Excel. I have put all the ones that I counted in a sealed bag and they are going to be put away for a very long time.

 

Here are my counted cents and they are sealed. My food saver bag will preserve them all forever.

 

YTD Inventory so far.

 

Check my post #58 where I have sealed all my counted cents. They are going dark for a very long time. I'm running out of space to organized them. Now they are all sealed with no exposure to any moisture or air.