US Coins

Lincoln, Union Shield cents dominate discoveries

By John Wexler

Published: Sep 30, 2016, 4 AM

2016-union-shield-reverse-doubled-obverse-lead

Ronald Burke submitted this 2011 Lincoln, Union Shield cent that has strong extra thickness to the date. It's a new one for the Wexler files.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

This 2012 Lincoln, Union Shield cent with massive extra thickness to the letters of LIBERTY was submitted by Grant Hopkins.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

A 2015-P Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge quarter dollar with strong doubling to the upper marsh grass strip between the birds was submitted by Andrew Turnbull.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

Flordelina Lawson submitted this 1961-D Franklin half dollar with a nice repunched D Mint mark.

Image courtesy of John Wexler.

Varieties Notebook column from Oct. 17, 2016, weekly issue of Coin World:

Lincoln cents with the Union Shield reverse are definitely popular with Coin World readers.

A nice example of this is a 2011 Lincoln, Union Shield cent with a strong doubled die obverse that was submitted by Ronald Burke. Very strong extra thickness shows on the digits of the date and also on LIBERTY. Notches show in the lower left corners of the digits and the letters. This one is a new one for my files where I have it listed as 2011 1¢ WDDO-009.

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Grant Hopkins submitted a 2012 Lincoln cent that shows massive extra thickness to the letters of LIBERTY, especially the ERTY. Light extra thickness shows on the date and IN GOD WE TRUST. This one is also a newcomer to my files and it is now listed as 2012 1¢ WDDO-006.

Lincoln cent: The popular Lincoln cent has gone through several reverse updates since it was introduced in 1909 to honor the nation's 16th president on the 100th anniversary of his birth. How much are Lincoln cents worth?

Also popular with variety collectors are the 2015 Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge quarter dollars. The reverse design features a great egret in the left background and a great blue heron in the right foreground. Between the two birds you will find three strips of marsh grass and it is these three strips of marsh grass that are in the target zone for doubled dies produced on the Mint’s single-squeeze hubbing presses.

A great example of one of these doubled dies was submitted by Andrew Turnbull. Strong doubling shows as extra blades of grass above the right end of the upper grass strip between the great egret and the great blue heron. I now list this one as 2015-P 25¢ WDDR-022. The number of doubled dies found on this design has been increasing rapidly, so if you have any, be sure to check them.

America the Beautiful quarter: Each America the Beautiful quarter’s reverse depicts a scene reflecting a national park or other national site. The coins are being issued from 2010 to 2021. Like the State quarter dollars program, five coins are being released annually. How much are America the Beautiful quarters worth?

The one die variety that is not a new listing for me is a 1961-D/D Franklin half dollar from Flordelina Lawson. The half dollar shows a very nice repunched Mint mark that would be described as a D/D South. It is in my files as 1961-D 50¢ WRPM-001.

Franklin half dollar: The Benjamin Franklin half dollar is a series that may ring your bell. Produced from 1948 through 1963, the Franklin half dollar features the Liberty Bell on the reverse alongside a small, legally mandated eagle that appears to be an afterthought. How much are Franklin half dollars worth?