jbrenneman01

I personally have heard the term used interchangeably.  Business strikes are coins that are made for circulation and not collectors.  I was using the term that pertains to my situation and that is what it's called at the other TPG service to differentiate between the SMS (Satin Finish) coins.  Hope this helps!

8 minutes ago, bsshog40 said:

I could swear that the Lincolns from the uncirculated mint sets were a satin finish of 95% copper. The business strikes should be copper plated zinc. 

That's what I'm finding from all of my sources also, but any additional confirmation would be extremely helpful to me!

Thank you.  Always good to have additional information sources for my case!

43 minutes ago, brg5658 said:

Something that is extremely odd and inconsistent is that NGC lists the following:

2009-D SMS Lincoln Cent, Birth and Childhood - 3.11g

2009-D SMS Lincoln Cent, Formative Years - 2.50 g

2009-D SMS Lincoln Cent, Professional Life - 2.50 g

2009-D SMS Lincoln Cent, Presidency - 2.50 g

I am almost certain that all of the 784,000-ish Mint set SMS coins for the Lincoln Cents in 2009 are made of 3.11 g and 95% copper composition.  Someone needs to fix the NGC coin description listings, as they don't even agree internally.

Interesting.  And therein lies the controversy with the other TPG service.  Until everyone is in agreement and can verify that the US Mint only made SMS one cent coins out of 95% copper that weigh 3.11 g, there will be no reason for concurrence on the designation that was assigned.  Any ideas who to contact?  If I could get certification from the Director of the US Mint, I would imagine that would suffice as proof?

Just now, brg5658 said:

Or you can say you have an extremely rare Satin Finish coin struck on a Regular Circulation planchet.  

I was going to go that route also!! 

Just now, brg5658 said:

I don't want to get into what TPG it is, but in my opinion they are simply wrong.  You may need to submit to a different TPG that knows what they are doing.

That's what I'm considering and why I came here. 

3 minutes ago, brg5658 said:

Of note, NGC's own website supports and specifies that the 2009 SMS Lincoln Cents are 3.11g:  Link here.

Understood.  I have noted that both the U.S. Mint website and the NGC website confirm that SP coins are 3.11 grams.  I have noted this to the TPG service multiple times.  They won't concur.

I don't have any mint sets as I pick the coins all from bank wrapped rolls.  I have never looked at the mint sets.  I do have a scale accurate to .01 grams.  The coin weighs 2.50 grams.  The TPG service has been notified for a month that the grade was incorrect, it has been reviewed, all five graders were in agreement with the SP designation, they have rejected my request to have it grade as MS68RD.

Coin is a 2009-D LP-4 Lincoln Presidency coin weighing 2.50 grams.  Grade assigned was SP-68.

Thank you for the reply.  I did not know that there were made of the same material.  The other website states that they are different in that the Satin Finish coins in the Unc Sets are the original pre-1982 brass composition weighing 3.11 grams.  All I know is I have searched 3 years and 250,000 pennies in N.F. String and company uncirculated bank wrapped rolls to find this coin only to have it graded incorrectly.  Is there any way that a Satin Finish coin could end up in a bank roll??

Hello.  New to the forum but 40 years numismatic experience.  I'm having a dispute with another entity over a grading submission.  They have told me their "opinion" of a coin.  There are no problems with the Sheldon grade that they have assigned (68), however the coin has been graded as a "Satin Finish" coin versus a business strike "Mint State" coin.  I was under the impression that the two coins were made of different compositions (zinc vs. copper) with different weight characteristics.  The MS coin should weight 2.50 grams while the Satin coin should weigh 3.11 grams.  Could someone please confirm whether there are any other objective differences between the two coins that could help me resolve the issue?  Thank you in advance for the advice and commentary!