Trivia: What One Single Year Provided the Most Various U.S. Coins?

braddick

Which single year provided the largest variety of U.S. Coins? Copper; Nickel; Silver; and Gold (and whatever other medal I'm missing)?

eyoung429

1984? With all the prestige sets, olympic sets,commemorates

mgoodm3

1873 was a good year.

TwoSides2aCoin

i'll stick with 1916 I know I am wrong, but... I think I am right.











...oops, I forgot modern commems as previously mentioned

Barndog

I think the answer to this question depends on the definition of "variety." For example, if we consider die marriages and die varieties, lots of information must be considered. I know that in 1827 there have been 49 Overton varieties identified for half dollars. There were various die marriages (varieties?) for bust dimes too. So I don't think the answer is as easy as it seems if we don't restrict the definition of varieties.

BigTom

I like 1907 because you can get the $10 Indian, as well as St Gaudens and Liberty Gold. 1873 is my other favorite date.

BigTom

<< <i>1984? With all the prestige sets, olympic sets,commemorates >>



I think he meant REAL COINS, not modern crap.

eyoung429

Um, Tom....he stated "Most Various U.S. Coins" I tend to fall behind the 1964 mark as far as my collecting goes......He didn't stipulate Modern/non-Modern

Weiss

I'll take 1883

CarlWohlforth

For classic coins I think 1866 was a very good year for types of coins. I think the last time we counted it was up there with 17 types or something like that. Now if you count modern bullion coins and all mint products there may be a more recent year with loads of types.

PerryHall

They sure put out a lot of commems in 1936.

Whitby

I will take 1785

291fifth

1873 for regular issues. 1936 may be a contender if commems are considered.

Ed62

There are about 250 patterns dated 1870. Then you can add 40 or so regular issue coins including some rather scarce ones from the SF mint.

braddick

All U.S. Coins considered including Commemoratives and modern bullion coins (if they're good enough for the Official PCGS Contest, they're certainly good enough for my simple trivia game...).

ebaytrader

1996

flaminio

2005? If you count bullion, commems, SQs, silver SQs, satin finish coins, WWJ nickels, etc.

BigTom

Um, eYoung, it was a joke, hence the

Modern Comms. could sway the pick. Too bad I don't have any reference material on hand.

MrBreeze

1853

mozeppa

1909?

kiyote

2007.

messydesk

1878 had over 200 different Morgan dollars alone!

Regarding the answer you're looking for, 1873 feels right to me (1c, 3cn, 3cs, 5c, h10c, 10c, 25c, 50c, T$1, S$1, G$1, $2.50, $3, $5, $10, $20). Goes way up if you add mintmarks and subtypes (arrows/no arrows).

cladking

<< <i>2005? If you count bullion, commems, SQs, silver SQs, satin finish coins, WWJ nickels, etc. >>



Looks like a winner. It would even take a while to count them all. It's in excess of 50 anyway.

solid

At one point, I was considering trying to put together a complete set of all 1996 issues for my
daughter's birth year. Between the regular issues of business strike, proofs and silver proofs,
plus the Olympic commems in mint state & proof, and all of the eagle in mint state & proof, it
was going to total something like 57 coins!

I quickly decided that amount of money would be put to better use elsewhere.

Ken

Bochiman

At first blush, 1883 would have been my guess....

CarsonCityGold

I'll take 1870 - 70CC $20 - 70CC $10 - 70CC $5 - 70CC $1 - 70CC 50c - 70CC 25c - just to name a few rather expensive coins.

Coxe

I think 1873 is it hands down. Every denomination one could think of except the half cent and the Stella, open and closed 3, arrow/no arrows, Trade dollars. 1853 also had a lot and had half cents.

Conder101

It is amazing the number of coins produced anymore. I've been adding up this years coins and I've come up with 58 IF you don't include coins that are the same except for the finish. ie: I didn't count the satin finish mint set coins or the Unc and prrof Franklins as different. If you include those it rises to 82 different coins for this year. And there may still be another commemorative program added. That could add another 4 to 6 coins.

Next year will be even worse with the addition of 16 more Presidential dollars and 8 First Lady eagles.

BECOKA

<< <i>I'll take 1883 >>



If all of the Hawaiians count then we should count the ones we make for the phillipines and south america.

I will throw out a guess with no research. I would say the last two years with 2 nickel designs, 5 quarter designs, 2 commems, Gold, Platinum, penny, Half, Dollar had quite a few. Now if you can include proofs, MS, Satin finish etc...

Anyhow there are way too many. Especially with the upcoming presidential dollar and gold coins comming up.

MrSpud

I'll go with 2005

fc

1882

LindeDad

I'll take 2004 just started on the mint set and it is large.

EVillageProwler

Not to answer the question, but to give you folks something else to ponder...

Does anyone here remember Mr. 1796? Within his area of interest, he asked himself the same question. I was at the lot viewing, and I also attended his auction. The stuff was amazing, the cataloging was first-rate, and the results reflected the quality of the set.

John "Whitney", a pseudonym, is a knowledgeable numismatist as well as a gentleman (as far as I can tell). A few years ago, I met him at a meeting of the NYNC (ANA member club #1 whose original members include Victor David Brenner). Articulate and poised, he also has some funny industry stories that he shared with us relative newbies. Despite his deep knowledge of early US coinage, his real specialty and interest is in Ancients.

BTW - does anyone know who his famous cousin, who has his own weekly TV show, is?

EVP

keoj

1873 was my pick

1876 might have been a big year as well.

Coxe

<< <i>BTW - does anyone know who his famous cousin, who has his own weekly TV show, is? >>



No. But in searching IMDB, I found that Clinton is a coin collector. Anyone know what he collects or want to make a wiseass suggestion?

Clinton Bio Link

TAClough

1936

Coinosaurus

<< <i>

BTW - does anyone know who his famous cousin, who has his own weekly TV show, is?

>>



I'm stumped. He does bear some resemblance to John McLaughlin (who can forget the SNL skit where Phil Hartman refers to Sinead O'Connor as "cueball"?).

I reviewed the Stack's catalog, which of course did not have the answer. Lots of eye candy, this

Bonus question - who engraved the portrait of Washington found on the back of the Stack's cover? Hint: A similar image is found in Rare Coin Review #126.