Lincoln Cents
1914-D 1C MS66+ Red PCGS. The 1914-D was better struck than the Denver issues of 1911-1913, and this is an especially sharp example with crisp definition on the Lincoln's beard, coat, and all lettering on both obverse and reverse. Unlike most of the 1914-D cents we have seen, this piece exhibits rich, even mint red color, with none of the brown tinting usually encountered.
Only 1.19 million Lincoln cents were struck at the Denver Mint in 1914, and the relatively low mintage was apparently overlooked by contemporary collectors. Most of the mintage slipped quietly into circulation at the time of issue and few high-quality specimens were saved for numismatic purposes. The 1914-D was recognized as a key issue in the Lincoln series by the 1930s, but attrition had taken its toll by then and there were few high-grade coins left in circulation. In the 1935 Standard Catalog, the 1914-D was tied with its S-mint counterpart as the most valuable Lincoln cents -- at $2 each. As the popularity and value of Lincoln cents increased dramatically in the 1950s and 1960s, so did the number of counterfeits of this issue. One author has speculated that there may actually be more counterfeit 1914-D cents around today than genuine coins -- a situation that is analogous to the 1916-D dime.
The surfaces on this piece are exceptionally clean and problem-free with no obvious or distracting abrasions on either side. Magnification shows one mark behind Lincoln's neck that can be used as a pedigree identifier. This Plus-graded Premium Gem is at the pinnacle of preservation for this key issue and is certain to end up in a major Lincoln cent set.
Ex: Palm Beach Signature (Heritage, 3/2005), lot 5163.
HID02901242017