What year/mm in your series would make the best quality type coin?

DMWJR · February 23, 2006 9:52AM

I'm not talking about keys here, unless that year/mm produced the best coins. There are singles for many years that stand out among their year/mm, but I would like to hear what you think about a date/mm in your series that is consistently better than other year/mm's.

For Matte Proofs 09-16, I would choose a high grade 1914. The strike detail is awesome, and this year typically has a booming luster and nice color.

For Lincoln proofs 36-42, I would choose 1938. They are more heavily cameoed (when you find one with cameo) and have the deepest mirrors. The prettiest for that group is no question 1938 in my mind.

For Lincoln proofs 1950-1958, I would choose 1955 for the reasons stated above. The cameos are consistently frostier and the mirrors deeper.

fcloud · February 23, 2006 9:56AM

Type one mercury dimes (all of 1916 and some of 1917) I would go with a type 1 1917-P.
One the later end I would go with 1939 P, D, or S with the D probably being the best.

solid · February 23, 2006 10:03AM

Early Jefferson MS nickels - 1942-D - These are usually well-struck with lots of flash, and are usually available in grades up through MS67FS.

War nickels - 1943-D - ditto the comments above for this year

Ken

messydesk · February 23, 2006 10:31AM

For business strike Morgans.

1878 8TF VAM 14.4. The reverse on this one can stop traffic. In addition to being prooflike, the fields are concave, so it looks like a polished dish. 2nd place would be the VAM 9, since it's the first struck and is also typically PL.
1878-S (representing 7TF Rev. of '78). Easy to find sharply struck and with PL surfaces.
1880-S (representing 7TF Rev. of '79). Ditto strike/PL.
1921. Typically best appearance of the 1921 Morgan design.

For Peace dollars, I think 1923 is the easiest to find with blasty luster and a good strike. 1925 probably comes in second.

David Lange did an article on the ideal 20th century type set in The Numismatist several years ago. Many of the best ones were while the hub was still new. The most obvious example is comparing the 1909 Lincoln with a 1968.

jdsinva · February 23, 2006 10:38AM

For Morgans, even though I'm partially 1878-S, I believe the 1880-S can be found nicely frosted, mark-free and with good PL fields for an easy price. . .

Fairlaneman · February 23, 2006 10:56AM

For the Merc Dime series a 1920P or a 1923P would be a great and inexpensive example to put in a type set. The two years can come with possibly the best strike of any date in the series.

If you want to get really technical you would need a type of 16, a type of 17 and a type of 18 to make your type set complete. The type of 18 ran from 1918 untill the end of the series so that would be easy. The type of 16 of course was for 1916 and part of 1917 so thats not rough either. The type of 17 was just for part of 1917 so it could cause a slight problem.

Also another thing to remember is that if you want a coin that shows all of the detail as it was intended you need to have a coin before 1926 and in some instances before 1924. Starting in 1924 and with all coins minted in 1926 and after part of the original design is missing.

Ken

tjkillian · February 23, 2006 9:16PM

For indian cents, I would choose a date between 1879 and 1885 as the strike was better and the feather tips are fuller. Be sure to find one with an earlier die state as they really worked those dies to death in those years.

Seated Liberty coins, I would go with 1853, early die state, as they have excellent strikes. You can also go for 1875-1876 half dollars.

No motto gold, easy, go for 1861 as that was an extremely high mintage year on nearly all accounts.

Tom

Shamika · February 23, 2006 11:35PM

Buffalo nickels:

Type 1 would be 1913-P. You can get incredible strikes up to MS68 with nice color. MS66 cost about $250.

Type 2 would have to be 1938-D. These are virtually always well struck and have great luster and color. In fact, anything professionally graded less than MS66 and MS67 is uncommon. Again, if you have the money, PCGS and NGC have graded several MS68.

I would like to add that in 1921 Buffalo nickels had a very distinctive obverse die. The Indian's braid is quite unique and the date uses serifs. Personally, I would have called this date a Type 3 Buffalo nickel. 1921-P would be the mint to go after since the S mint used poorly made planchets.

CarlWohlforth · February 24, 2006 12:28AM

Great comments!

If we covered all/most series I would love to extract the info here and write an article for my website.

Russ · February 24, 2006 1:32AM

For Kennedy Half Dollars the 1976-S 40% silver business strike makes an excellent type coin. They're plentiful in MS67, the surfaces are gorgeous, and it's a one date only reverse design.

Russ, NCNE

BECOKA · February 24, 2006 1:43AM

For Indian Half Eagles the 1909-D had a very high mintage and many have fantastic strikes. Higher grades are the most plentiful of the entire series making it a good relatively inexepensive type set choice.

BuffaloIronTail · February 24, 2006 1:44AM

I agree with Shamika on the Buffs.

However, and this is only if you want to spend a little more money:

1913 Type 1 Denver coins are actually better struck, but there is less of a pool to pick from.

1928-P is my choice for the Type II. They usually blaze with luster, the strike is very good, and the detail is superior to 1938-D.

This is mainly because the Master Hub degraded after every years use, and a lot of 38-D's will show that with deterioration on the Indians neck, as will a lot of 1930's era Buffs.

The 1921 should be considered as a one year "spruced up" type coin.

The improvements the Mint made on that one year only, for some reason, were made to the Master Die, and not the Hub, so they were lost in ensuing years.

Hope this helps.........

Pete

DMWJR · February 24, 2006 4:08AM

Wow! This info is priceless! Thanks for those who have commented so far, and I hope others do as well. Down the road I want to do a type set, and choose those coins that best show off the series.

Keep it coming!!

MajorDuty · February 24, 2006 4:30AM

<< I would like to add that in 1921 Buffalo nickels had a very distinctive obverse die. The Indian's braid is quite unique.... >>

What is unique about it? Honestly, I don't know.

LincolnsRule · February 24, 2006 4:42AM

I'd have a Lincoln from each different hub as a type coin...
1909-vdb
1910
1917 beard detail, no vdb on shoulder
1919 best beard detail, vdb on shoulder
1928 I like that date for some reason
1943
maybe something else 44-58 since they look different than 1928, maybe a 52-s or something...
1963 (I already have an ms67)
1970
1973 (new rev hub, larger initials)
1974 new hub
1982 copper sd (one month type coin!)
1982 zinc ld (only zinc with large lettering)
1983
and I forget when exactly the hubs change but they do more...

Shamika · February 24, 2006 6:45AM

<< <>

What is unique about it? Honestly, I don't know. >>

Here's a type 1 braid.

Here's a type 2 braid.

You'll need to zoom in on the Heritage pick. If you look at the hair above the knot on each coin, the difference is clear. Also, the separation between the strands is almost always clear on the "type 3", but not necessarily on the type 2.

Shamika · February 24, 2006 10:27AM

<< I agree with Shamika on the Buffs.

However, and this is only if you want to spend a little more money:

1913 Type 1 Denver coins are actually better struck, but there is less of a pool to pick from. >>

Hmmm... I'm not so sure I can agree with Pete on this one

. David Lange also believes the 13-D is a better type coin, but I've found that even the finest examples of this issue are often no better than many 13-P's grading MS65.

<< 1928-P is my choice for the Type II. They usually blaze with luster, the strike is very good, and the detail is superior to 1938-D. >>

The luster is indeed great on this date, but I've notice that the central details are often weak.

michael · February 24, 2006 11:03AM

for matte proofs a superb gem original red 1909-p if you can find one!!
as it is the first year and the fresh new die look

dbldie55 · February 24, 2006 11:21AM

1883 No Cent in Proof DCAM (the only year/mm for the type), 1909 for the With Cents type.

michael · February 24, 2006 11:25AM

for flowing hair half dollars

a 1795 in the flowing hair half dollar series

mozin · February 24, 2006 12:11PM

For Bust Halves, the 1826-36 years were the best made. That is why I prefer the pre-1826 CBHs with real character.

RYK · February 24, 2006 12:17PM

I tend to prefer slightly better or more interesting dates for type, rather than the cheapest and most common.

For New Orleans $5's, I would choose1840-O, which is considerably more scarce than the most available date (1844-O) and also the first year of issue.

For Dahlonega $5's, I like the dates in the mid-late 1840's over the more common dates in the 1852-54 range, which are the most common.

For New Orleans $10's, I would pick the moderately tougher 1853-O or 1843-O over the "type" 1847-O.

What year/mm in your series would make the best quality type coin?

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