The Zinc And Copper 1982 Lincoln Cents

wondercoin

I was recently offered a 1982(p) Lincoln Cent in PCGS-MS67RD, which is, IMHO, the copper variety. Interestingly, this is the first copper variety 1982(p) Lincoln in PCGS-MS67RD I believe I have ever handled. Yet, I have sold a dozen or two Zinc variety 1982(p) Lincoln cents in PCGS-MS67RD. My experience suggests the 1982(p) copper piece to be far more scarce in superb gem grades than the zinc counterpart. However, the authoritative Lange book on Lincolns states that the Zincs are the tough coins to obtain in gem grade for 1982(p).

Has anyone else out there also encountered the same findings I have thus far - namely, that the coppper 1982 Lincolns are far scarcer than the Zinc in high grade?

Wondercoin

dbldie55

Does Large Date/Small Date make a difference? Will PCGS ever differentiate the 7 varieties? How can you tell it is copper in the holder, or is it that apparent in gem?

Just curious, I use a diamond scale to tell the difference when they are raw.

prooflike

I have a 1982-D Large Date Bronze Lincoln in NGC MS66RD and the NGC pop for this designation is 1(MS62)/5(MS66)/1(MS67)

I never thought much of it, but what do you think it is worth??

Steve

In my opinion, the number of 1982 copper vrs zinc slabbed has VERY little to do with the number that might be available IF people started to believe there was REAL value in collecting these coins in high grade. In otherwords, there are plenty of MS67 1982 coppers out there. (large and small date too). The problem is that 99.999% of them have not been sent to PCGS or NGC or ANACS or, etc. for slabbing. Wondercoin, are you trying to make a market in 1982 coppers? Steve

wondercoin

Steve: If my suspicions are correct, if I tried to make a "market" in MS67RD and better copper 1982 cents, I'd be like the Maytag repairman. But, I do have (1) copper MS67RD, which is a start.

But, Steve - I have a question for you - I assume your position would then be no different for, say, 1981(p) or 1980(p) or 1979(p) cents? Your position on 1979(p) COPPER, or 1980(p) COPPER, or 1981(p) COPPER or 1982(p) COPPER is that they are all easy coins to slab in MS67RD grade once anyone cares to do it- right?

Wondercoin

Datentype

Here is my ranking for ms67 level coins for that date/variety. Toughest to easiest:

1982 sdc
1982 LDZ
1982 LDC
1982 sdz

I'm pretty sure that on the whole and by the average this is the way it works out for these dates itn terms of difficulty.

Steve

Mitch,
I must admit that my interest is in COMPLETION of my Lincoln cent collection in a "nice" grade, NOT spending the money to achieve the "pop top" grade. To me, my 1982 large date copper in MS65 red, (not slabbed, and the grade is only my opinion) is a very "nice" looking coin. It meets my collecting needs. I would agree that sometime in the future, when I or my heirs sell the collection, I might achieve better investment results if I slabbed this particular coin and IF PCGS said it rated a high grade. But, that is not what I wanted to do.

What I did do was get all the wheat proof Lincolns in my collection slabbed and into the registry. That set of 26 coins says a lot about what my collection is all about and how I've collected within my means.

Mitch, to further answer your question about the coppers in high grade, I really can't say if they would be plentiful. It would depend on everybody getting into the slabbing process which will never happen. Based on the select group of people who do submit coins, it would seem that anything at MS67 or higher is difficult. You obviously believe that this is NOT true for the DCAM proofs, and I agree. Point for me is, I don't need to collect an MS67 or MS68 Lincoln because I'm very happy with my MS65. Steve

keets

...........from what i see, the easiest way to tell the zinc from copper coins is that the coppers appear smooth while the zinc coins appear slightly bubbled on the surface. you should be able to see that through the holder.

al h.

lazeroo

your absolutly right mitch.

the copper coins from 82 are very tough to find in 67rd, part of the problem is PCGS slabs all 82 coins as the same.
at the NGC site the 82-p bronze large date coins only has 8 rd coins graded with 5 in 66rd as the highest.

and the large date zinc have 19 coins of which 7 are 67rd and 12 are 66rd.

cladking

I've never collected or studied these cents in a systematic manner so I can't be
a lot of help, but can add that I've never seen a nice gem in the souvenir set.
Occasionally there will be a nice original coin with no tarnish but it will have some
sort of problem. The few gemmy '82 cents I've seen were zinc and all came from
same batch of rolls.