Rare Pennies, Star Notes, and Cherrypicking
bullionsilver_hawaii
Posts: 33 ✭
I have gone through about $200 worth of pennies in a 4 week span. Finally got to the cherrypicking part. I found a 1988 D wide "AM" and a 1988 wide "AM." The Cherrypicker's Guide says they are worth $10-$20 in AU condition. Is this true? I also found a bunch of 1990 no mint mark pennies (probably 20 or so). It says proof, but how can you tell if it is a proof coin or not without no S?! The final thing is a star note I found in my mother's wallet. The serial number is constructed as so: B11877723 *. Would people pay a larger sum of money because it is a star note and has an interesting serial number or just pay a small premium because of the starred note?
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Comments
I don't know about the wide AM pieces, but the 1990 cents you have found were all made in Philadelphia and are regular cents. The 1990 no-S proof cents look like proof coins with proof finishes and are quite scarce; you will not find these in change. The star note is likely worth face value only, but without an indication of denomination, year, series or condition it makes it more difficult to determine.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
1988 and 1988-D cents come normally with the wide AM.
The star note, if crisp unc., might be worth $1.25-$1.50 to someone, somewhere.
What's interesting or fancy about the serial number?
This should help you better understand what the 1988 cents are about. The are commonly called transitional cents.
http://www.lincolncentresource.com/Featured/1988RDV6.html
1990 cents made in philadelphia have no mint mark. Proof 1990 cents were made in San Francisco and are suppose to have a S mint mark. But some die was not struck with the S and thus proof cents with no mint mark were made. So just because you have a cent with no mint mark does not make it a proof missing a mint mark. But you can tell proof coins by the highly reflective polished dies or by the square rims. You need to study up on these characteristics so you can tell the difference.
WS
That is a lot of cent searching.... the above information is accurate. You should get a Redbook, it will help you a lot... other books will become necessary as you expand your collecting. Books are a great resource in coin collecting. Cheers, RickO