1957 Penny 1936 Penny 1 1

[Halbrook Family]

This is just a damaged penny right? Over the weekend I got a good lot of pennies from the 30's 1940's and 1950's. The red book says there are a few error coins in those years. I don't usually look for errors though. Is it a one in a million shot to find one of the errors? 1936, 1944D, 1946S, 1956D. I just got a magnifying glass. Nothing fancy.  

Would this 1936 Penny be a EF or a VF? No I'm not planning on sending in for any grading of course. 

Also got a Dasco book from 1909 to 1990. It has a 1909 and a 1917 penny in there but pretty well worn. 

[Halbrook Family]

Maybe the 1936 is a lower grade then that. I was just planning on putting aside some of the better shape pennies. 

[J P M]

Welcome edhalbrook.. Both cents are in rough shape the 57 is all displaced metal damage and the 36 would be ok for a coin folder

[Sandon]

On 9/6/2023 at 7:59 PM, edhalbrook said:

The red book says there are a few error coins in those years. I don't usually look for errors though. Is it a one in a million shot to find one of the errors?

    The coins listed in the Redbook along with the regular issues, such as the 1917, 1936, 1955 and 1972 doubled die cents, are die varieties, not mint errors.  Recent editions of the Red Book include a brief overview of mint errors as Appendix A.  Although you may occasionally find minor mint errors and die varieties in coins taken from circulation, it is highly unlikely that you will ever find one of the more valuable ones.  In 52 years of collecting and checking change, the best--and minor--errors I've found are a blank cent planchet and two broadstruck quarters, perhaps worth a few dollars each. However, another long-time collector I know received a Lincoln cent that had been overstruck by Jefferson nickel dies, a fairly significant mint error, in change at a supermarket a few years ago. The coin has been certified by NGC.

   Many die varieties of U.S. coins not listed in the Redbook can be found on resources such as NGC VarietyPlus. United States Categories | VarietyPlus® | NGC (ngccoin.com).  For further information, see the following resources:

Learn Grading: What Is a Mint Error? — Part 1 | NGC (ngccoin.com)

Learn Grading: What Is a Mint Error? — Part 2 | NGC (ngccoin.com)

Learn Grading: What Is a Mint Error? — Part 3 | NGC (ngccoin.com)

Learn Grading: What Is a Mint Error? — Part 4 | NGC (ngccoin.com)

Variety vs. Mint Error | NGC (ngccoin.com)

   Error-ref.com provides comprehensive information about mint errors for those who understand the basics.

   I concur that the 1957 cent has been damaged and is not a mint error. The 1936 cent is normal and has a nearly Extremely Fine obverse and a weaker reverse grading Fine to Very Fine.

 

[powermad5000]

There are many errors in the Lincoln Wheat cent series over the years. By errors, I mean some rotated dies, capped dies, broadstrikes, etc. Most of these are not going to be found in circulation. The most sought after 50's error is the 1955 DDO. There are key dates scattered throughout such as 1909 S VDB, many in the teens, 1922 no D, 26 S, 27S, and 33D. There are other extremely rare error/varieties such as 1943 (P,D,S) in bronze and 1944 (P,D,S) in steel, and a 58 DDO, but these extremely rare coins are unicorns and not worth the time to try looking for.

I don't see how on your 57 that could happen in the minting process so I have to concur with the others that is post mint damage, and I would give your 36 a VF grade based on the reverse as the overriding factor.

[Halbrook Family]

Thank you. Going through a few hundred coins and trying to pull out the better ones.