On how many coins is it apparent what year it was minted even if the date is worn away?

dan1ecu

Do most U.S. coins have characteristics (die clashes, weak letters, die cracks, etc.) that allow for their identification even if the date isn't visible?

The 1877 Indian Cent is such a coin, isn't it? Can you name some others?

Dan

LALASD4

State Quarters and the new nickels

500Bay

Chain cents

Russ

1964 Kennedy Half Dollar.

Russ, NCNE

LanLord

1916 SLQ
1793 chain cent
1793 wreath cent
Gobrecht dollars
bi-centennial coins
Modern commems

Probably many more

Barberman55

Some, but not all, 1892 Barber quarters.

numonebuyer

1893-S Morgan is very distinctive.

lordmarcovan

T-1 Buffalo nickels, of course.

OKbustchaser

1853 A and R quarters and halves

messydesk

There are probably varieties of every date and mint mark of Morgan dollar that could be identified without the date based on polishing lines, clashes, die breaks and cracks.

longtimecollector

21 Peace

itsnotjustme

1793 Half Cents
1793 Wreath Cents
1859 Indian Cents
1943 Lincolns
1883 NC Liberty Nickels
1837 LS Half Dime
1838 LS Half Dime
1797 16 Star Draped Bust Dimes
1837 LS Dime
1838 LS Dime
1796 Quarter
1840 LS Quarters
1796 16 Star Draped Bust Half
1839 No Drapery LS Half
1795 Flowing Hair Dollars
1976 Ike Dollars (Type 1 1975, Type 2 1976)
Some Classic Commems
Most Modern Commems



I tried to skip the ones already listed. There are many more where if it is the right mint mark you can do it, but not for all mint marks.

tjkillian

1861-O half dollars, assuming there is enough detail to tell the die marriage.

Tom

BECOKA

Bi-centential Washington Quarters..

Most commemoratives are unique per year.

High Releif Flat and Wire Rim Saint Gaudens Double Eagle

Wire Edge and Rolled Edge Eagles

Gold no motto coins could be narrowed to two years.

RW

1943 Lincoln

WACoinGuy

Interesting -- I'll bet that many coins would fit this profile. Certainly many key date coins do, if only because people have studied die characteristics to ensure they're getting a genuine copy. But I'll bet there are other more common dates that would fit this profile too. I'd think most of the early 19th century coinage would fall into this category, for example, because the dies have been studied so thoroughly for each year.

PerryHall

<< <i>Gold no motto coins could be narrowed to two years. >>



No motto gold was made from 1839 to 1866 so you must be talking about the 1907-1908 Saints and Indian eagles.

RiotAct

I believe the 1921 Morgan is one -- isn't the head in a slightly different position than the earlier Morgans?

majorbigtime

<< <i>1916 SLQ
1793 chain cent
1793 wreath cent
Gobrecht dollars
bi-centennial coins
Modern commems

Probably many more[/q


WRONG!!]

Gobrechts were minted several years!

RalphE

1937-D tripod Buffalo nickel

TomB

Majorbigtime, I may be wrong on this point, but I believe you can determine the year on a Gobrecht by the star pattern. The 1836 issue has stars around the eagle on the reverse while the 1838 and 1839 issues have stars around the obverse perimeter. Therefore, you may be able to tell an 1836 Gobrecht as being such without the date visible, if this information is correct.

Barndog

1792 Half Disme

UncleWiggly

<< <i>1937-D tripod Buffalo nickel >>




Just about the only way to get a PO-1 for Buffalo nickels.



Jerry

morgannut2

<< <i>1943 Lincoln >>



are you 100% sure always??

ER

1776 Continental "Dollar"
1792 Birch cent
1792 Disme

SlangNRox

Platinum proofs although i don't know why a platinum proof would be so worn that the date would be worn away

Coxe

One year type and commemoratives just go without saying. VAM and clash research has been so intensive that many Morgan dollars can be identified without seeing the date and/or mint mark, provided the wear doesn't obscure too many other details.

As kids, we would try to guess the dates on dateless Buffalo nickels from change based on characteristics before checmically revealing them. I forget our track record, as it seems a million years ago, but there was some merit to it. (Kids notice the details I sure wish I still could.)