Lincoln Wheat Cents: 1909 – 1958

Aug 12, 2024 | Uncategorized

Lincoln Wheat Design Features

Obverse

  • Portrait: The obverse features a right-facing profile of President Abraham Lincoln.
  • Designer: Victor David Brenner.
  • Inscriptions: “IN GOD WE TRUST” at the top, “LIBERTY” to the left, and the date to the right of Lincoln’s profile.

Reverse

  • Design: The reverse features two ears of wheat, one on each side.
  • Inscriptions: “ONE CENT” in large letters in the center, with “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA” below. Above the denomination is the motto “E PLURIBUS UNUM.”

Key Dates and Varieties

  1. 1909-S V.D.B.: The first year of issue, with the designer’s initials (V.D.B.) prominently displayed on the reverse. Only 484,000 were minted.
  2. 1914-D: A key date with a low mintage of 1,193,000.
  3. 1922 No D: Denver Mintmark omitted due to a filled die, making this a rare and valuable coin.
  4. 1931-S: Low mintage year with only 866,000 produced.
  5. 1955 Doubled Die Obverse: A famous error where the obverse lettering and date are doubled.
  6. 1943 Copper: A few 1943 cents were struck on bronze planchets instead of zinc-coated steel due to a wartime error.

Error Coins in the Lincoln Wheat Cent Series

Common Errors

  1. Doubled Die: The most famous is the 1955 Doubled Die Obverse, but there are also notable doubled die errors in 1917 and 1936.
  2. Repunched Mintmark (R.P.M.): Examples include R.P.M.s from the Denver and San Francisco mints across various years.
  3. Off-Center Strikes: Coins that were not correctly centered during striking.
  4. Clipped Planchets: Coins with a curved clip due to being struck on an incomplete planchet.
  5. Die Cracks and Cuds: Raised lines or blobs on the coin due to cracks in the die or pieces of the die breaking off.

Grading Lincoln Wheat Cents

Grading is crucial in determining the value of Lincoln Wheat Cents. The American Numismatic Association (ANA) and other grading services like PCGS and NGC use the following scale:

Grades

  • Poor (PO-1): Barely identifiable.
  • Fair (FR-2): Very worn; the date and type are readable but faint.
  • About Good (AG-3): Very heavily worn with portions of date and lettering readable.
  • Good (G-4 to G-6): Heavily worn with major features worn flat.
  • Very Good (VG-8 to VG-10): Well-worn, but significant details are precise.
  • Fine (F-12 to F-15): Moderate to heavy, even wear; all significant features are apparent.
  • Very Fine (VF-20 to VF-35): Moderate high-point wear with all significant details evident.
  • Extremely Fine (EF-40 to EF-45): Light wear is on the highest points, and all details are sharp.
  • About Uncirculated (AU-50 to AU-58): Slight wear on the highest points.
  • Mint State (MS-60 to MS-70): No wear, as struck with varying luster and strike sharpness.

Storing and Preserving Wheat Cents

Best Practices

  1. Avoid Handling: Handle coins by the edges to avoid fingerprints and oils.
  2. Storage Environment: Store coins in a cool, dry place to prevent tarnishing and corrosion.
  3. Proper Holders: Use coin albums, 2×2 holders, or Mylar flips to protect individual coins.
  4. PVC-Free: Ensure storage materials are PVC-free to avoid chemical reactions that can damage coins.
  5. Humidity Control: To maintain low humidity, use silica gel packs or other moisture absorbers in storage areas.

Advanced Protection

  1. Airtight Holders: For high-value coins, consider airtight holders that provide additional protection.
  2. Safe Storage: Store valuable collections in a safe or safety deposit box to protect them from theft and environmental hazards.
  3. Insurance: Consider insuring valuable collections.

Collecting Lincoln Wheat Cents

Lincoln Wheat Cents is a popular and historical series for collectors, featuring a variety of crucial dates, rare errors, and different conditions. Understanding the design, identifying rare and error coins, proper grading, and employing best storage practices can help preserve and enhance a collection’s value.

Curiosity Coins sells so many different Lincoln Wheat Cents. Some of them are graded by third-party NGC and PCGS, to name a few. Other coins are raw and come in a plastic 2 x 2 holder that can be put into a holder or book. Please check all this out at https://www.amazon.com/s?k=Wheat&me=A31SL38P4UD6V7&ref=nb_sb_noss

Happy Coin Collecting,