Which low mintage coins have survived in great numbers?

lkeigwin · January 30, 2010 10:51AM

Proportionally speaking, that is, because "low mintage" is a relative term.

The S-VDB comes to mind, of course. Others?
Lance.

STONE · January 30, 2010 11:03AM

1796 and 1804 Quarters have a 4.5-10% and 3.5-8.5%, respectively, survival percentage from their original mintage.

Later date Bust Quarters seem to have a much lower estimated survival percent when compared with original mintage
1805 - 1.1-2.3%
1807 - 0.3-0.8%
1820 - 1.0-2.5%
1821 - 0.6-1.5%

(and so on; this also doesn't just apply to Bust Quarters, but other series as well)

Now, these percents(%) can still be misleading and misinterpreted, and an original mintage figure must be applied to each percent range in order to understand rarity, etc.

speety · January 30, 2010 11:07AM

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

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

Barndog · January 30, 2010 11:08AM

if we're talking percentage and not "great numbers" I think the 1913 Liberty Nickels are at 100%. But then again, we aren't talking percentage are we?

Barndog · January 30, 2010 11:09AM

great minds, speety, great minds.

GritsMan · January 30, 2010 11:10AM

1950-D nickel comes to mind, but Cladking can fill this out for the Moderns.

morgandollar1878 · January 30, 2010 11:10AM

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

kranky · January 30, 2010 11:11AM

For regularly issued coins with low mintage, the 1931-S cent would be up there.

BillJones · January 30, 2010 11:17AM

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.

speety · January 30, 2010 11:31AM

<<

great minds, speety, great minds. >>

ambro51 · January 30, 2010 11:33AM

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.

Goldbully · January 30, 2010 11:37AM

1913-S Saint Gaudens.....34,000 Minted
Cracked her out of an NTC MS61 holder....now resides in a PCGS MS62 Holder!!!

Low mintage....pretty good numbers from what I can see!!!!

RWB · January 30, 2010 11:46AM

MCMVII $20.

COALPORTER · January 30, 2010 12:02PM

1866 no motto dollar - i think those are 100%

1804 $ - i think most of those are still around.

(I think you will find allot of smarties shown up with nearly unique choices )

roadrunner · January 30, 2010 12:04PM

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

savoyspecial · January 30, 2010 12:06PM

1916-D Mercury Dimes seem plentiful though that number may SEEM larger due to altered coins & fakes

also, i would think 1856 Flying Eagle Cents and 1879 Flowing Hair Stellas survived in decent numbers due to the way they were distributed through government channels

also, Gobrecht Dollars and all patterns in general for that matter

CaptHenway · January 30, 2010 12:19PM

<< 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

cameron12x · January 30, 2010 12:50PM

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

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

>>

Hmm, what about those 1870-s Seated Liberty Dollars? Inquiring minds wanna know!!!

DCW · January 30, 2010 1:02PM

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.

ad4400 · January 30, 2010 1:15PM

I'd add the 31-S buffalo nickel to the list. 2nd lowest mintage of the series, is sells at a fraction of the pieces that that rank 3rd - 6th lowest mintages.

GrumpyEd · January 30, 2010 1:26PM

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

speety · January 30, 2010 1:39PM

<< 

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

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

>>

Hmm, what about those 1870-s Seated Liberty Dollars? Inquiring minds wanna know!!!

>>

If you can tell me how many were struck I'd be happy to answer your question.

The earliest documentation I have personally seen is the FCC Boyd catalog in which they say: "It is generally agreed that only six specimens exist" so one could make the arguement that the survival rate is 150%!

p.s. most importantly ours is among the six real ones.

RYK · January 30, 2010 2:04PM

$3's from the 1880's

TomB · January 30, 2010 2:44PM

1836 RE halves are far more available than their reported 1,200 coin mintage would suggest.

rld14 · January 30, 2010 3:41PM

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

stinkinlincoln · January 30, 2010 5:46PM

1916-D Merc, 1932-D&S Washington... Not very small mintages, but small in terms of their respective series. And plenty are around today, just like the SVDB.

Which low mintage coins have survived in great numbers?

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