Lincoln Cents experts what mint/year + best strike

yspsales

Looking to build a little grading set of MS Lincoln cents.

What year and mint from 1909 to 1958 produces the best (easiest to find) strikes?

I sure over the years there were QC changes in design and dies.

rec78

Never really tried to figure that out. I do like 1909's. 1955 P mint seems to be one of the worst years. I have not looked at enough BU Lincolns' to be of any more help.

coinkat

Great question. I have not submitted enough Lincolns to provide the best answer. I have always found it easier to identify ones that are weak. I am not trying to invent work or expand the scope of your grade set, but you might consider three sets- the first set incorporating coins from about 1919 and earlier; a second set from about 1920 through about 1940 and then a final set from 1941 to 1958. I write this because a 1909 through about 1919 cent in 64-65 will just have a different look than one of the more mass produced examples from the 30-40 years later. The early Lincoln have wonderful craftsmanship in the portrait and are worthy of a separate set for these distinctions... just some thoughts.

david3142

1916 is the best. The die was reengraved that year. Really anything from 1909-1918 can be found with a full beard fairly easily but some of those years will be expensive The 1916 is readily available in 65-67RD for a reasonable price. 1909 VDB is another well-struck and affordable coin in high grade.

WingedLiberty1957

1909 VDB (a ton of those!), 1916 (most detailed strike), 1934-1941 (some of the best color, so fun to look at), 1957-D fantastic color, but strikes can be weaker at times, plentiful pretty coins)

giorgio11

@david3142 said:
1916 is the best. The die was reengraved that year. Really anything from 1909-1918 can be found with a full beard fairly easily but some of those years will be expensive The 1916 is readily available in 65-67RD for a reasonable price. 1909 VDB is another well-struck and affordable coin in high grade.

Exactly what I was going to say. The P-mint 1916s have the overall best strikes.

yspsales

@coinkat said:
Great question. I have not submitted enough Lincolns to provide the best answer. I have always found it easier to identify ones that are weak. I am not trying to invent work or expand the scope of your grade set, but you might consider three sets- the first set incorporating coins from about 1919 and earlier; a second set from about 1920 through about 1940 and then a final set from 1941 to 1958. I write this because a 1909 through about 1919 cent in 64-65 will just have a different look than one of the more mass produced examples from the 30-40 years later. The early Lincoln have wonderful craftsmanship in the portrait and are worthy of a separate set for these distinctions... just some thoughts.

Exactly the information that I was looking for... thanks!

yspsales

@giorgio11 said:

@david3142 said:
1916 is the best. The die was reengraved that year. Really anything from 1909-1918 can be found with a full beard fairly easily but some of those years will be expensive The 1916 is readily available in 65-67RD for a reasonable price. 1909 VDB is another well-struck and affordable coin in high grade.

Exactly what I was going to say. The P-mint 1916s have the overall best strikes.

Thank you!

ChrisH821

No expert but it seems 1909, 1916, and 1919 from what I've seen.

stockdude_

I think the Stewart Blay Lincoln was a 19. MS-69? Fantastic strike

BuffaloIronTail

@david3142 said:
1916 is the best. The die was reengraved that year. Really anything from 1909-1918 can be found with a full beard fairly easily but some of those years will be expensive The 1916 is readily available in 65-67RD for a reasonable price. 1909 VDB is another well-struck and affordable coin in high grade.

You beat me to it!

If you want the V.D.B. on your coin i would suggest 1921. That was a good year and only 4 years away from the redesign in 1916. Lincoln's chiseled beard did wear away quite quick due to the heavy mintages from the war years.

Pete

coinbuf

I'll just add another vote for the 1909, 1916, and 1919 as the three best and least expensive years to look at.