Lincoln Cent best strike year/mm

yspsales

Working on a grading set.

Seeking opinions on best strike year/MM for both the Wheat and Memorial series.

Would you include Proofs as an option?

thebeav

It always looked like, at least to me, the P mint VDB's were pretty hammered.

Typekat

A lot of 1916 Philadelphia circulation strike Lincolns come very well struck, plus they’re common and affordable.

coinbuf

1919P is the year I would look for, there is the one Blay MS69 but also around 20 in MS68. You will need a healthy checkbook if you want examples up to that lofty grade in full red, but this is "the" year for circulation strikes. Aside from that 1916P, and the first two years of production 1909 and 1910 would be the next choices.

Early matte proofs (09 to 16) are spectacular, and brown examples can be found for a reasonable price, still pricy for a full grading set.

There are not many good years for the memorial coins, best bet there is to find some SMS coins.

seanq

@coinbuf said:
1919P is the year I would look for, there is the one Blay MS69 but also around 20 in MS68. You will need a healthy checkbook if you want examples up to that lofty grade in full red, but this is "the" year for circulation strikes. Aside from that 1916P, and the first two years of production 1909 and 1910 would be the next choices.

Early matte proofs (09 to 16) are spectacular, and brown examples can be found for a reasonable price, still pricy for a full grading set.

There are not many good years for the memorial coins, best bet there is to find some SMS coins.

Completely agree with the advice on the Wheat cents, 1916 was the first date I thought of but 1919 does come even nicer.

For copper Memorials you might try 1969 as the master hubs were updated that year. For zinc cents, I always thought the coins from 1996 through 1999 had the best strikes.

This applies to business strikes only, proof coins will of course be nicer, but I cannot speak to their relative appearance by year.

Sean Reynolds

WaterSport

Affordable and well struck would be 1910 - 1915 - Philadelphia and the Matte of course. But after that, 1939 or 1940.

WS

cladking

"88-D and '89-D in the mint set are typically hammered. Careful with the '89-D, the strikes are so good it strips the plating off the edges of the reverse lettering exposing them to the atmosphere.

emeraldATV

The 1982 Lincoln Cent series. from circulation. ( no proofs in stock )
How about.......
Working together on a grading set, as each coin would be chosen by me for your approval or not , first with photos..
I've been wanting to try this co-op method to gather up as much knowledge, wherever I can, while helping the conservation
of the series. This method would take a few weeks, because I'd want you to feel comfortable with "YOUR selections".
PS
I have many quality examples of each coin required.
If interested or just to ask any questions, PM me.
I never tried this before. What could go wrong
Cool.

ambro51

1915 MPL was the best struck lincoln I had. The 1922 D has awesome detail on Some pieces ( before they wore out the die).

Shamika

Here's another vote for 1919-P

oldabeintx

09VDB, 1916, 1919 all good choices. Mattes can be amazing but $$.