🔍 Wheat Cent Master Checklist
Sorted by priority for roll hunters. Keep your loupe handy!
🔑 Key & Semi-Key Dates
- 1909-S VDB / 1909-S: Check the reverse for the V.D.B at 6 o'clock.
- 1914-D: Beware of altered 1944-D coins.
- 1931-S: Only 866,000 minted.
- 1922 No D: Look for a strong reverse strike.
- All 'S' Mints: (1909-1955) General rule: Save every San Fran wheat cent.
⚠️ Major Errors & Varieties
- 1955 DDO: The famous "Pajama Day" doubling.
- 1943 Copper: The $100k error. Must be 3.11g and non-magnetic.
- 1944 Steel: Struck on leftover wartime planchets. Magnetic!
- 1972 DDO: Clear doubling on LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST.
- 1992-P/D Close AM: "A" and "M" in AMERICA must be nearly touching.
🎨 Varieties & Markers
- "Woodies": Look for wood-grain toning (improper alloy mix) common in early teens/20s.
- Lamination Cracks: Peeling metal on the surface.
- BIE Errors: A die crack between the B and I in LIBERTY.
- RPMs: Look for doubled mint marks (e.g., 1954-S, 1956-D).
🛠️ The Desk Test
- The Magnet: If a 1943 cent doesn't stick, it's either a fake or a fortune. If a 1944 does stick, it's a winner.
- The Ring: Drop it on a table. Copper "sings" with a high-pitched ring. Zinc has a flat, thuddy sound.
- The Scale: 3.11g (Copper) vs 2.50g (Zinc). Crucial for 1982 sorting.
