1936 Proof Lincoln Cent Population

Tip

I am trying to find out how many of the 1936 Proof Lincoln Cents still remain from the 5,569 minted. More Satin were minted but have heard more were put in circulation because collectors did not like them and preferred the Brilliant. So how many exist in Satin and Brilliant?
Thanks, Tip

CoinKing

Hi Tim,

The survival rate of the 1936 Proof Cents is unknown, but I would guess it is quite high. PCGS has certified almost 1,200 examples over the past 22 years. Of those, the population of Brilliant Proofs is nearly three times that of the Satin Proofs. You are correct in stating that the Satin Proofs were not popular with collectors when they first came out. My understanding is that the Brilliant Proofs were offered later in 1936 and few collectors knew of the change or reacted to it. However, the Population Report data suggest otherwise. Whichever information is correct, the fact remains that the Satin proof is harder to find than the Brilliant Proofs. However, because of the highly reflective surfaces, you're less likely to find a Gem version of the Brilliant Proofs than you are of the Satin Proofs.