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Anakin104's Blog

17 Sep 2021

Bicentennial Coins, 1976, 2004, 2005 and 2009

Coins | Anakin104

Occasionally,  on the street or in your change, you might find a bicentennial coin. In this article, I will talk about   bicentennial coins in the years 1976, 2004, 2005 and 2009.                                                                                                                                       1st. 1975 and 1976                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       In 1975 and 1976, the Mint issued a bicentennial  quarter, half dollar and dollar coin. On the quarter,  instead of Independence Hall,  the Mint put a drummer boy on the reverse,  pictured as a Revolutionary War  soldier. Another  name for this coin is the Drummer Boy quarter. For the half dollar and dollar coin, Seth Huntington designed the reverse off a sketch! For more information on Independence Hall,  read my previous  article Historic places on the reverse of coins in America.  The Kennedy half dollar and Eisenhower dollar  have , in my opinion,  a more detailed reverse  because both of these coins are bigger  coins than the quarter.                                                                                                                                                          2nd.2004 and 2005                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       In 2004 and 2005, the U.S Mint created four  bicentennial nickels for the 200th anniversary of the Lewis and Clark expedition and since it was Jefferson's  idea and it was in his presidency,  these reverses are put on the coin that has honored Jefferson, the nickel. The 2004 versions show an adapted version of a Peace Medal given to the Indians on their way to Oregon in the Lewis and Clark expedition  , and a Keelboat  that is in the design of a similar boat Lewis and Clark used while traveling on the rivers on their trail. In 2005, an American Bison was shown because they were amazed by this creature and on the nickel then the last nickel says Clark's famous words, "Ocean in View! O! The Joy!" when the travelers saw that their journey was about to come to an end to get to the Pacific,and then the had the long journey to Missouri.                                                                                                                                                                  3rd.2009In 2009, the Mint decided to create 4 new reverses to celebrate Lincoln's 200th birthday. They show a log cabin, young Lincoln reading, Illinois's State Capitol and the U.S Capitol dome being constructed.  These reverses replaced Frank Gasparro's version of the Lincoln Memorial, celebrating Lincoln's 150th birthday, which had replaced the Wheat Ears reverse that celebrated Lincoln's 100th birthday. These honor his 200th birthday , and each reverse shows a time in his life. The log cabin for his childhood, Young Abe reading  when he is a young man,  the State Capitol of Illinois for his professional career and the State Capitol dome being constructed  in Lincoln's  inauguration.                                                                                                                                                             If you liked this article, be sure to comment so I can see who appreciates my articles!Sources: The Red Book by R.S Yeoman, Coins and Paper Money by Allen G. Berman , Coin Collecting for Dummies:A Reference for the Rest of Us! By Ron Guth , Google Search.                

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17 Aug 2021

The Steel Penny

Coins | Anakin104

Many collectors  start their collections by obtaining a steel penny. (It is also one of few vintage coins very widely  collected).Steel pennies are steel because they were minted in the middle of World War 2, which in that time they needed the nickel from the Jefferson nickels and the copper of which the pennies were made out of. They were minted in Philadelphia,(Pennsylvania) San Francisco (California) and  Denver(Colorado). The steel pennies have many names, such as steel war penny and steelie. At coin stores, they are usually  priced from 10 to 50 cents. The coins are about 99 percent steel with a small amount of zinc, which is also in our present pennies.                                                                                                                                                               ERRORS                                                                                                                                                              There are also some error steel pennies that were made in 1944 which are very rare and very expensive. The average price for a 1944 steel penny is in the range of 75,000 dollars to 110,000 but prices will vary depending on the  condition  and the vendor.Not only has there been errors for the 1944 penny but also for the 1943 penny. Some have a mark S (San Francisco) but also a D (Denver)! Another error coin that is a 1943 copper penny is on that was minted with the obverse of a Lincoln  cent but also a 1943 Cuban penny which both images could be seen and  sold for $38,187.50 in November  2013.The last error I will mention is a 1943 steel penny  that  has a die crack next to the left ear of wheat. It was found in a collectors  Wheat Penny roll which did not list the price but pretty cool and scarce. These are also,  like any error  coin they are very rare and expensive. There has never been a  official record marking any creation of copper  1943 penny which was accidentally  placed on a copper planchet.                                                                                                                                                                           FUN FACTS                                                                                                                                      1. More than 1 billion 1943 steel pennies  meaning that  they are not rare.                                                                                                   2. A steel penny  weighs 2.70 grams, .51 less than a copper penny.                                                                                                                      3. Steel pennies  will stick to a magnet. If not then it is a possible error  Wheat Penny.                                                                          4.Not only are 1943 copper cents rare, so are tin 1943 cents! Either it was an error or was intentionally struck in late 1942.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           5. Bob R. Simpson , Co-chairman of the Texas Rangers baseball  team, paid 1 million dollars for the most fine 1943 s Wheat Penny  in known circulation , which was struck on a copper planchet in 1943.                                                                     6.The diameter of the Wheat Penny is 19.05 millimeters and the thickness 1.55 millimeters. The edge is plain and the designer is Victor D. Brenner whose design lasted from 1909 to 1958 and the reverse is Wheat heads in memoria and the observe  is Abraham Lincoln. 

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