Check Your Change! - Ultra Modern Coins Finds a New Niche in Variety Collecting

To begin, ultra moderns consists of any coin or currency that have been produced since 2000.  But let's squash all the talk about how modern coins are a waste of time for treasure seekers.  In a hobby where a coin's life is cyclical, finding the older material is becoming a tough task for young collectors who haven't had the benefit of living through transitional design and composition changes.  Ultra modern releases offer the best mix of value, variety, and potential winfall.  And the best part?  Moderns are an overlooked arena in cherrypicking that I firmly believe will pick up steam in the next 10-15 years.  Here's a selection of notable varieties that can be found in the modern era of coinage.

Lincoln's left hand may make you go
dizzy!  Check for some rather dramatic
doubling for a modest winfall.

2009-P Formative Years Lincoln Cent - Doubled Die Reverse

Comes in dozens and dozens of different variations, the second release in the commemorative series of Lincoln cents boasts a wonderful and highly collectible Doubled Die Reverse.  Examine Lincoln's hand to have a doubled digit, or two or three.  It just goes to prove that modern technology can have its mistakes as well.  More dramatic and raw examples sell in the $10-$50 range, lessor examples in the $5-10 area.

2005-D Washington Quarter - Wisconsin High & Low Leaf

Intentional or not, the low and high leaf
varieties sparked a frenzy for not just veteran
coin collectors, but for new ones as well.

The clock struck high noon at the release of the Wisconsin state quarter. Variety pickers were greeted with what would be the "top flight" variety in the state quarters program until the next coin on this list surfaced. Some would speculate that this is not an error, but an exercise of intentional behavior at the mint. Raw finds from pocket change pop up on occasion, and these little gems still sell in the $35-$100 range.  Mint state examples climb to multi-hundred dollar prices.

Doubled Duke!  These have been
spotted in change before, keep a look
out on this elusive doubled die.

2009-D Washington Quarter - D.C. Doubled Die Reverse

The Wisconsin looked to have the lead in the "ultimate" variety state quarter until this little rarity was discovered.  For those of you on the west coast lucky enough to find this dramatic doubled example, this is not only one of the top varieties of the modern era.  But it's a highly sought after piece that garners upwards of $2k-3k in mint state. To give collectors an idea of scarcity, examples pop up on Ebay about twice a year.  The crisp clockwise spread is one of the most notable in half a decade of modern coining.

Presidential Gold Dollars - Missing Edge/Inverted Lettering

Commonly overlooked and passed up for the paper dollar, the presidential series of gold dollars are a true variety hunters haven. Beginning with the first coin in the series to portray Mr. Washington himself, collectors or public transit users found many examples with the missing edge lettering that usually houses the date and motto.  Steam quickly picked up on the secondary market as these sold for several hundred dollars and the collector base expanded.  Today, MEL variety
dollars are found on most of the presidents and make for a great direction in modern variety hunting in spite of a cooler market.  Also looked for doubled and inverted edge lettering, these sell on similar levels.

Sacagawea Mule and "Cheerios" Dollars

The most exciting part about collecting coins are the folk lores that one can come across.  First on the bucket of profit list is the "Cheerios" Sacagawea dollar.  These were inserted in specially marked boxes of cereal of its namesake.  Cheerios dollars are best identifiable by the sharp engraved tail feathers on the reverse.  These sell regularly in the $2k-3k range in an auction setting.  The coin you see (pictured) is what is called the fabled Sacagawea Mule.  For this trial piece, the obverse of a state quarter was struck in conjunction with the reverse of the dollar coin on a gold dollar planchet.  A tale of two dies is more appropriate for this abnormality.  None have been found searching rolls or change, but now collectors will know what one looks like if he/she comes across one.  Auction estimates and previous sales go for many tens of thousands of dollars.

In closing, hindsight is 20/20 when it comes to ultra modern variety hunting.  But if these examples are any indication of what the future might hold, I would certainly reserve your front row seat and get ready to search for the next big find.  Good luck hunting!

Spotlight in History - 1944 Lincoln Cents - Variety Bound and Plentiful for all Budgets

The nation was several years into the tumultuous war of the nations in 1944.  What exactly had transpired numismatically during that period?  In the efforts of rationing copper, nickel and other industrial metals for war use, the U.S. minted zinc-coated steel cents in 1943 and Jefferson nickels were struck on combination silver/manganese alloy stock.  After the one-shot 1943 date, the nickels were still silver at this point, but the U.S. had decided to transition back into production a copper alloy Lincoln cent that we're all used to seeing in daily commerce.  If there was any real difference, you could see it in the color of the bright red hues of the newly struck cents.  The look was somewhat more subdued in comparison to an uncirculated 1942 Lincoln cent, and they seem to tarnish to brown a little faster.  A lot of this had to do with the recycling program the mint was participating in, disposed shell casings were smelted and reformed into copper sheets for Lincoln cent production purposes.  Not only was it another transition point in U.S. coinage, but it would chronicle to be a "gateway" date to what would be a variety lover's paradise until the Wheat design came to a close in 1958.  With millions upon millions of 1944 cents produced, there were a number of "chase" varieties to be found.  Here are the most notable:

1944 Cents Struck on Leftover Zinc-Coated Steel Blanks

Rare 1944-D Lincoln cent mistakenly
struck on a leftover steel planchet from
the 1943 campaign.

Purported over history as one of the marquee mistakes in U.S. coinage.  An example of the 1943 copper cent was the dream coin, it was never supposed to be found in the wild.  As a result of long man hours at the mint, smaller than usual production staff, and billions of coins minted during it's day, the accidental release of one of these off-planchet coins was a sure thing.  With a small grouping of examples found, graded, and sold through notable auction venues over the years, the 1943 has gradually increased in not only value (last examples selling for $100k's of thousands), but also popularity because more and more people want the elusive coin.  And so enter the copper 1943's younger brother, the 1944 steel cent.  Not only is it more rare than its sibling, but it's a dramatic version only to be overshadowed by conspiracy.  It truly is a remarkable and true find in numismatics, and one that will gain in popularity as the rare coinage market continues its upbeat tempo.

1944 D/S Over Mint Mark Varieties

Famous for its mugshot in Whitman's
Redbook Price Guide, the 1944 D/S
varieties are not only monumental chase
pieces in cherrypicking, they are also a
popular variety that is making its way into
more and more wish lists.

The Denver mint has been a driving force since it's opening in the early 20th century.  What it had been known for, was it's strict standards of quality control that far surpassed the Philly and San Francisco minting facilities.  Denver's mint had released several "oops" coins that have made its way to the public such as the 1911-D/D cent and the 1942/41-D Mercury Dime.  The 1944 D/S became the heir apparent and the eventual placemarker for modern day variety hunting.  Because of it's appeal and availability as a very findable key, it has been pulling more and more bag searchers in the hopes that one of the dozens of 1944's will exhibit the drastic over mint mark.  The great news is that there are two varieties of over mint marks for the date, and both are worth the money in the marketplace because the collector base is strong for this variety. In conclusion, I can see the popularity rising as a result of phenomenal market activity.  

Other great attributes to the 1944 cent:  

*Lots of brilliant uncirculated examples still exist today for less than a dollar, great date to hoard in any mint mark variation.  

*Can't find the fabled 1944 D/S?  That's okay, because there are over (count them) 90 various Doubled Dies and Re-punched mint marks to be found.

Photos courtesy of NGCcoin.com and Heritage Auctions.  For more information on this date in Lincoln cent history, please feel free to visit  www.coppercoins.com or www.lincolncentresource.com.

Holiday Change Jar + Low Silver Price = Great Coin Roll Searching Opportunities

Oh boy, it's that magical time of the year again.  And one that usually raises my visitation level at any bank or Coinstar machine.  Between November 15th and New Year's, most folks empty out their change jars to gear up for a busy gift buying season.  What makes this year a little bit more better, is that silver is trading at a nice low compared to the last five years of holiday change jar purging.  So far in the last few weeks, I've uncovered a much better ratio of copper/wheats to zinc cents and have found $3.10 face in silver coinage already!!. In comparison to last year's efforts, I'm up double.  Additionally, the quality of the varieties are up way more than the preceding years.

If anything I'm pointing out is any indication to the last four weeks of what I like to call "coin roll hunting season" will look like, then I might just have to triple my bank visits.  Best of luck hunting and Happy Holidays!