Which low mintage coins have survived in great numbers?

1913 liberty nickels, I believe there is a 100% survival rate

But then again, we'll never know how many were struck sooo...

great minds, speety, great minds.

85cc morgans were a lower mintage. Most are in UNC condition, and the heavy circulated examples are harder to find.

The most common low minrage coin of which I know is the 1849 "Small Head" No L, open wreath gold dollar. These coins were made from the first dies that James Longacre produced for the gold dollar, and the mintage was said to be only 1,000 pieces. The coins are not common by any means, but if you look at all of the Type 1 gold dollars at the major shows, you will find some either marked as such on the slab or unmarked. I've owned three of them, sold two and seen maybe ten more.

Here's the example that is now in my collection. It is a PCGS MS-63.



If the mintage really was 1,000, I'd say that perhaps 60% or more of those coins still survive. Such coins are often saved as the first of their kind.

QDB is now suggesting that the mintage figure on the No L small head is actually 10,000. He is probably correct in that, given the large amount of existing coins. In fact, the existing population now outnumbers the 1,000 figure that Walter Breen used.

The 1880 gold dollar though, is accurately recorded with a mintage of 1,600, and it is known who hoarded the vast part of the mintage. At least 1000 survive today, most in MS with only a few bearing genuine circulation wear.

Many of the lower mintage classic commems have survived in large numbers. However, the huge number of different issues and mint marks overhwhelms the collectors, keeping prices of these relatively low for their mintages. A lot of issues are in the range of 3000-10,000 minted. Yet there certainly aren't 10,000 collectors out there trying to complete the full 144-pc set.

roadrunner

<< <i>QDB is now suggesting that the mintage figure on the No L small head is actually 10,000. He is probably correct in that, given the large amount of existing coins. In fact, the existing population now outnumbers the 1,000 figure that Walter Breen used.

The 1880 gold dollar though, is accurately recorded with a mintage of 1,600, and it is known who hoarded the vast part of the mintage. At least 1000 survive today, most in MS with only a few bearing genuine circulation wear.


>>



All of the late date gold dollars have high survivability factors, expecially the 1889.

As to other things, there are the $50 Half Unions in gold and 1804 silver dollars.

TD

1931-s lincoln cent. Kept in large numbers.
This leads to something I was thinking of the other day. At what point does "key date" status actually hurt the coin? By this I mean: causes it to be immediately hoarded in mint state and saved for future generations while higher mintages get tossed, get lost, and consequently, get valuable. I guess the 1950-d nickel is a good example of this. People got wind of it being short struck and seemingly never spent one. The price went to the moon, then fell quicker than Heather Mills in a potato sack race.

1950-D nickels and 31-S cents are good examples of high survival rates.

$3's from the 1880's

I can think of a bunch... many of them have been mentioned already, but add these to the list:

1927-S Standing Liberty Quarter
1938-D Walking Liberty Half
1893-S Morgan Dollar