Coin Collecting Club

A mintmark is an identifier on each coin that tells you where that particular coin was minted. It’s a security feature to help curb counterfeiting. So, you would ordinarily try to find the mark that is on each coin. One thing we should be aware of though is that not all coins bear this mark on them and this is because of a few factors.
Sometimes the original mints in a region will mark their coins, and that will be the unique or stand out factor for the coins for that mint. Sometimes, the marks are also just not put on purpose. A good example of this are the Lincoln cents that were minted in San Francisco and West Point mints in the 90s. You couldn’t distinguish these coins from those minted in Philadelphia. There was a problem at the mint of some sort where grease clogged up and the dye had a problem. Some coins were left with no mintmark or a very weak one that was easy to scrape away.

So, if you want to look for the mark, where are you going to look? We are told to look on the obverse of the coin, most times anyway. Sometimes though, the mark can be found on the reverse of the coin. During the Second World War, there was a shortage of nickel used to mint the 5 cent coins (nickels). Due to the shortage, silver was instead used, and the mintmark was put on the reverse side of the coin. This was a distinguisher. The placement of the mark varies from country, mint, coin and sometimes the decision of the people concerned. You will find they can decide to change the position of the mark as they wish, or go without one.

Key Coin: A coin that is among the toughest and Most Expensive to obtain within a series. In the Lincoln Cent series, for example, the 1909-S VDB would be considered the key, as would the 1914-D and often the 1922-Plain.

A coin somewhat lesser in stature but still among the tougher in a series to collect is called a semi-key; the 1909-S and 1931-S fulfill this role within the Lincoln Cent series for many collectors. Both key coins and semi-key coins are in great demand due primarily to the limited supply of coins available. Since this increases the demand for such coins, the results are higher prices for all such coins. Coins with higher grades are even more difficult to acquire.
The grade of a coin is everything in coin collecting. This entices the rogues and cheats to misrepresent a coin’s grade or quality. But this only works with raw coins. A certified and graded coin - by PCGS, NGC, ICG or ANACS - stifles the would be cheat and insures authenticity. In fact, these companies guarantee the coin’s Authenticity, Identity, and Grade. I have seen company representatives, at trade shows, pay immediate cash reimbursements where a coin was mis-graded, or had a questionable identity or grade. The extra protection offered by a sealed slab, helps to maintain a coins condition and grade, which in turn keeps the value at a higher level than raw coins. Many people have had their entire collections sent in for certification and grading for the protection and value alone. It certainly increases a coins marketability, and eliminates any doubts about what is being bought or sold.

Other “Key” Dates include the following:

Lincoln Cents: 1909 S, 1909 S VDB, 1914 D, 1922 no mint, 1931 S

Jefferson Nickel: 1938-D, 1938-S, 1939-D, 1939-S and 1950-D

Roosevelt Dimes: 1949, 1949 S, 1950 S, and the 1951 S

Washington Quarters: 1932 D, 1932 S, 1934 - with Double Die Obverse (DDO), 1935 D, 1936 D, 1937 - with Double Die Obverse (DDO), 1937 S, 1938 S, 1939 S, 1940 D, 1942 D - with Double Die Obverse (DDO), 1942 D - with Double Die Reverse (DDR),1943 - with Double Die ?, 1943 S - with Double Die Obverse (DDO), 1950 D/S Over mintmark ( coin is a ‘50-D, with underlying S mintmark ), 1950 S/D Over mintmark ( coin is a ‘50-S, with underlying D mintmark ), and the 1955 D

The Concept of “Key” may also apply to the Type or Purpose of the coin collection, rather than the individual coin. For example, if a collector is putting together a collection of Walking Liberty Half Dollars, without regard to the Condition of the coins, then the “keys” are the 1921, 1921-D, and 1916-S.

But, if the Collector is putting together the same set, in Gem BU Condition, the 1919-D and the 1921-S would be considered the “keys” and the 1916-S likely would not, because the 1916-S either not available at all, or is plentiful. Also Key Date may be a replaceable term.

Another example, using Lincoln Cents: The “key dates” for the Lincoln Pennies, from 1909 -1958 (wheat cents) are: 1909s, 1909s VDB, 1914 D, 1922, and the 1931 S.

The “semi-key” dates are: 1910 S, 1911 D, 1911 S, 1912 S, 1913 D, 1913 S, 1914 S, 1915, 1921 S, 1922 D, 1923 S, 1924 D, 1926 S, 1931 D, and 1933 D.

Certain Sellers use the term “Key Date” to generate interest in a coin, whose date may be “Key”, however, the Condition of the coin is usually less than desirable. Pay Attention!

Have fun collecting your Perfect Coins!

Robert L Taylor, JD

Copyright © 2006-7

As is the case with most hobbies, coin collecting has its own specialized terms or “lingo”. The following, while not an exhaustive list of all the coin collecting terms that you may encounter, provides definitions for the most commonly used terms. Alloy - a combination of two or more metals in a coin such as cupro-nickel or cupro-zinc. Ancient - refers to any coin minted before 500 A.D. Bag marks - nicks, marks and scratches resulting from coins in a mint bag being in contact with each other. Bi-metallic coin - a coin with the center made from one metal with its outerportion being comprised of a different metal.

Blank - a round piece of metal made for subsequent minting into coinage. Bullion - a coin made of gold or other precious metal with little numismatic value apart from the current value of the metal from which the coin is made. Cameo - a coin with a frosted appearance. Circulated coin - a coin which has actually been used as money and shows some degree of wear. Commemorative coin - A coin with a design struck in honor of some historical or current event, famous person or special anniversary. Error coin - a coin minted by mistake or with a design different than intended. Grade - the condition of a coin determined by a set methodology. High points - the highest part of a coin’s design where the first signs of wear and tear generally appear. Legend - the words that are inscribed around the outer edge of a coin, for U.S. coins, the legend inscription is E Pluribus Unum. Mintage - the total number of coins of a particular denomination, date and/or type produced by a mint Mint mark - a symbol identifying the particular mint which produced the coin. Mint state - an un-circulated coin in the same condition as when it was originally minted showing no signs of wear Numismatics - the study of coins, paper currency, tokens, medals, and other similar items.

Obverse - the “heads” side of the coin where a portrait of a president, king, queen or other national leader appears. Proof coins - coins that are struck with greater pressure than normal using specially polished dies to make the design more highly polished or mirror-like. Reverse - the back or “tails” side of a coin, the opposite side to the obverse side of a coin. Rim - the outer edge of a coin. Un-circulated coin - a coin that has never actually been used as money and has no visible signs of wear. Variety - any change in the design of a coin results in a new coin variety

There are many, many more terms which we will try to define as they come up in this book, but this is a good start for the beginning collector. So, you may be wondering. where do I start? The choices are varied.