Lincoln Help Please on a possible 14D

morganbarber

I know that this sounds like the worst case of wishful-thinking ever, and perhaps, it is. I was looking through some better-date-but-junk Lincolns today which I had stashed away years ago. Below the date on a Good condition 1914, I saw a small blotch which I decided needed to be looked at more closely. At some angles, it looks like a D mintmark, at others, it just looks like a carbon blotch. My question is, "Is the D mintmark on a 14-d always strong, or could this be a soft or weak mintmark which is just hard to see due to the condition and toning of the coin?" Thanks for any replies. I don't have my hopes up too high, but gushdernnit, at the right angle, the thing looks exactly like a D, and the placement is right as well.

goose3

is there a die break running from the right side of abe's bust to the rim?

ksteelheader

Mintmarks on 14d's were usually just as strong as the date. Do you have a pic to share...Ken

morganbarber

I have no picture, and I don't see a die break. Although even with a decent scanner, I don't think that the mark, blotch, or whatever would show. Maybe I just need to get a jeweler's loupe, or something better than my 5x glass.

rd5425

You probably have a 1914-d with a weak strike but since its only in good condition there would not be much of a demand for it when a 1914-d with a strong mint mark in good is not that expensive.

merz2

morganbarber
The die break goose speaks of is one of the diagnostics.The key is the mintmark.Find a stronger loupe and look at it.The position of the mintmark varies,because they were punched by hand back then.We would all like to believe we found an unnoticed key in our assortment of coins.Don't feel bad if it isn't.

jdimmick

The "d" should be distinguishable even on an AG piece., unless it has damage in that area or its closer in grade to a poor-1

89TADriver

Can't remember how to post pics here...or a good link. Just copy/paste this link to see my '14D lincoln.

http://webpages.charter.net/rbrackett7/

Its about an AG example (front and back images).

You can see, even at this low grade, the mint mark is still strong. (Notice that the date is even beginning to wear into the field above the date.)

I used to post as slackett (do a search), I posted this pic some time ago. Just in case anyone was wonderin' if I stole an image....it's mine. Had a CPU crash, then boogered my forum password so I just created a new one.

Cheers
RB

Flying56eagle

I hope some of these will help you