1965 Lincoln Cent Verification

Diamond70

Hi Everyone,

Can anyone tell me please if this 1965 Lincoln cent is a business strike or a proof?
I obtained it from a set of 1965 coins that were encapsulated in a hard plastic case here in the UK.

Many thanks!

MFeld

Proofs were not produced in 1965, so it would be either a regular business strike or an SMS example.

johnny9434

What Mr. Feld said

coinbuf

Looks to be an SMS (Special Mint Set) from your photo, contrary to the title these SMS coins are not that special just struck differently than regular business strike coins. You do have an excellent example there.

TomB

To me it appears to be an SMS (special mint set) example. These were sold as a set (cent through half dollar) in rectangular plastic cases perhaps six inches long and not much taller than the height of the half dollar. If I recall correctly, the plastic holder was also packaged into a thin, blue cardboard box. It looks like a nice coin.

Diamond70

@MFeld said:
Proofs were not produced in 1965, so it would be either a regular business strike or an SMS example.

Thanks Mfeld, much appreciated!

Diamond70

@coinbuf said:
Looks to be an SMS (Special Mint Set) from your photo, contrary to the title these SMS coins are not that special just struck differently than regular business strike coins. You do have an excellent example there.

Thanks Coinbuf, The set seems to be a compilation of "Across the pond" coins that somebody put together with care at one point. Thank you again for clarifying it.

Diamond70

@TomB said:
To me it appears to be an SMS (special mint set) example. These were sold as a set (cent through half dollar) in rectangular plastic cases perhaps six inches long and not much taller than the height of the half dollar. If I recall correctly, the plastic holder was also packaged into a thin, blue cardboard box. It looks like a nice coin.

Thanks Tom for the information. You are exactly right that this coin came in a rectangular plastic box (Along with other coins) as you describe, but unfortunately nothing else came along with it. From what you said however it seems that there would almost certainly have been packaging at one point. I have attached a photo of the case that the coins came in, which if I am not mistaken looks exactly the same design and specs as the hard plastic case released by the US mint in the years that followed.

Thank you also for the link to your numismatic photography website, absolutely stunning pictures I might add. I will study it with avid interest.

MsMorrisine

this is the original mint issued packaging for the 195 special mint set. However, that cent is not an ordinary business strike.

ECHOES

@TomB said:
To me it appears to be an SMS (special mint set) example. These were sold as a set (cent through half dollar) in rectangular plastic cases perhaps six inches long and not much taller than the height of the half dollar. If I recall correctly, the plastic holder was also packaged into a thin, blue cardboard box. It looks like a nice coin.

The 65 coins were issued in a 'flat pack' cellophane package. Possible the OP purchased the coins in a aftermarket holder? The holder as shown started with the USM in 66...

Diamond70

@MsMorrisine said:
this is the original mint issued packaging for the 195 special mint set. However, that cent is not an ordinary business strike.

Thanks MsMorrisine, Thanks for your comments. What Tom wrote seems to concur that with what I read somewhere too - that they were also released in hard plastic cases in 1965. If you say they weren't though, then that's fine too

ECHOES

@Diamond70 said:

@MsMorrisine said:
this is the original mint issued packaging for the 195 special mint set. However, that cent is not an ordinary business strike.

Thanks MsMorrisine, Thanks for your comments. What Tom wrote seems to concur that with what I read somewhere too - that they were also released in hard plastic cases in 1965. If you say they weren't though, then that's fine too

https://www.pcgs.com/news/collecting-the-sms-coins-of-1965-1967

MsMorrisine

@ECHOES said:

https://www.pcgs.com/news/collecting-the-sms-coins-of-1965-1967

The 1965 Special Mint Set was issued in pliable plastic packaging similar to the proof and uncirculated sets of the previous decade. The 1965 set contains a single Pliofilm packet with six sealed pockets, five containing each of the five coins and the sixth housing a navy blue- and silver-colored plastic token with a silhouetted design of a heraldic eagle and the words “UNITED STATES SPECIAL MINT SET.” The set comes with a certificate describing the new set, and all these materials are packaged together in a cream-colored outer paper envelope.

Major packaging changes debuted the next year for the 1966 and (later) 1967 sets, which come in a rigid two-piece plastic holder containing only the five SMS coins. This plastic holder is packaged in a navy-blue box emblazoned with the words “UNITED STATES SPECIAL MINT SET” in cream-colored writing. But the packaging for the 1966 and 1967 sets isn’t the only major distinction between these and the 1965 sets. The quality of the coins themselves are notably different from year to year as well.

notice the vertical alignment of the coins' cups.

Diamond70

@ECHOES said:

@Diamond70 said:

@MsMorrisine said:
this is the original mint issued packaging for the 195 special mint set. However, that cent is not an ordinary business strike.

Thanks MsMorrisine, Thanks for your comments. What Tom wrote seems to concur that with what I read somewhere too - that they were also released in hard plastic cases in 1965. If you say they weren't though, then that's fine too

https://www.pcgs.com/news/collecting-the-sms-coins-of-1965-1967

Thanks Echoes for the link. It would be interesting to know what the US Mint has to say about it, from the horses mouth - so to speak. I'm not going to lose sleep over it anyway
Thanks again

ECHOES

@Diamond70 said:

https://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/product/whitman-mint-or-proof-set-holder-five-hole-2x6.html?atrkid=V3ADW4095EC2F_112701960413_pla-649364854688__479173786226_u_c___&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI3MWu19mj7QIVOINaBR1gMgn6EAQYASABEgLvVPD_BwE

Diamond70

It's in the bin now so it doesn't matter

Jimnight

SMS.

Diamond70

@Jimnight said:
SMS.

Many thanks Jim.

BuffaloIronTail

Average1965 SMS Cents didn't present themselves nearly as well as your coin. The absence of any heavy dings and nicks (really ANY nicks) makes your coin very special, in my humble opinion.

It appears to be a very high grade.

And I DO realize that SMS Cents were handled with more care. Still, 1965 SMS Cents were not of the same quality as 1966/67 versions.

Pete