Wheat Cents: How Important is a Well Struck "O" in "ONE"?
ChuckC
Posts: 1,600
I've seen a fair share of MS wheat cents and usually check to see if the O in ONE is obliterated or not. A good example of this...I was at a show on Saturday, and when faced with two nearly identical 1950-D wheat cents, I chose the one with a well struck O despite the fact that it had a small carbon spot versus the other coin (no carbon spot, weak O). Does anyone look for the same?
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Comments
<< <i>Yes, but... Id take a somewhat mushy strike as opposed to a 'death' spot any day of the week.
I'd like to invent a carbon spot blaster gun that wouldn't affect the rest of the coin.
Of course ideally you'd prefer no weakness. But given the choice between a post-mint dark spot and a little weakness in a common area I'll take the weakness.
Lance.
Funny you should say that because when I look
at the reverse of a Lincoln Wheat Cent, the "O"
in "ONE" is the first thing I look at on the reverse.
Not for a mushy strike, although that becomes
evident right away, but for chatter.
I've gotten to the point where I look at Lincoln's
shoulder on the obverse, and the "O" in "ONE"
on the reverse for chatter almost automatically
when I first look at a MS Lincoln.
Those two places seem to collect chatter.
~
"America suffers today from too much pluribus and not enough unum.".....Arthur Schlesinger Jr.
WS
I highly disagree. A weak strike will not go into my collection unless that specific issue only coes with one.
<<Funny you should say that because when I look
at the reverse of a Lincoln Wheat Cent, the "O"
in "ONE" is the first thing I look at on the reverse.
Not for a mushy strike, although that becomes
evident right away, but for chatter.
I've gotten to the point where I look at Lincoln's
shoulder on the obverse, and the "O" in "ONE"
on the reverse for chatter almost automatically
when I first look at a MS Lincoln.
Those two places seem to collect chatter.>>
Me too. One of the first things I do
<< <i><<A weak "O" is easily forgiven.>>
I highly disagree. A weak strike will not go into my collection unless that specific issue only coes with one.
<<Funny you should say that because when I look
at the reverse of a Lincoln Wheat Cent, the "O"
in "ONE" is the first thing I look at on the reverse.
Not for a mushy strike, although that becomes
evident right away, but for chatter.
I've gotten to the point where I look at Lincoln's
shoulder on the obverse, and the "O" in "ONE"
on the reverse for chatter almost automatically
when I first look at a MS Lincoln.
Those two places seem to collect chatter.>>
Me too. One of the first things I do >>
Me Three.
NGC is far more relaxed about weak O's than PCGS. I've seen plenty of lincolns nearly missing the top left portion of the O, or at least with nearly flat O's, still in 67RD and 67RB holders. Can't recall seeing a PCGS 67 with any weekness there, most have squared lettering at 67.
On the other hand I've seen a LOT of 66's with weakened O's, in fact I've seen the same acceptance of strike weekness at 66 in other denominations at PCGS.
Of course we'd all like otherwise. Sometimes choices are limited. If a nice 65RD '22-D comes along and it has a little weakness there you can pass on it but you may not see another for a very long time.
I can show you many very pretty high-grade wheaties with weakness in these areas. Yes, even MS67's and 68's, from the late teens into the 50's. Like you I would prefer everything to be near-perfect. But copper collectors sometimes have to compromise a little.
Lance.
<< <i>I think the O must be solid for a PCGS MS 66 cent, so it matters a lot to PCGS graders.
WS >>
https://pcgs.com/setregistry/showcase/2819
<< <i>Any pics? >>