Velvethell Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 I’m new to coin collecting. I was wondering if these 3 are errors. The coin is a 1986 penny. Is this considered a wide AM Also is the 8 in the date and the E in LIBERTY errors? Thank you in advance Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 Yes, no, and no. Henri Charriere 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenstang Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 There was no WAM or CAM in 1986, they are all the same. The other two areas are just damage. Value 1 cent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 On 2/29/2024 at 8:28 AM, Greenstang said: There was no WAM or CAM in 1986, they are all the same. The other two areas are just damage. Value 1 cent. Yes, but it is a wide receiver, and not a tight end. Henri Charriere 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandon Posted February 29 Share Posted February 29 On 2/29/2024 at 7:38 AM, Velvethell said: I’m new to coin collecting. Welcome to the NGC chat board. Mint errors and die varieties are advanced topics in numismatics and will be difficult for you to grasp unless you have more basic knowledge, including the history and types of U.S. coinage; which dates, mints, and major varieties of specific types of coins are rare; grading, basic authentication, and how coins are made. In this case, you did not know that the close and wide "AM" varieties of Lincoln cents only exist for coins dated 1992, 98, 99, and 2000 or that these are varieties, not mint errors. You also confused minor and common damage to a circulated coin with "mint errors". We have an old expression, "Buy the book before the coin!" Nowadays you can learn from certain online as well as printed resources, but beware of the disinformation that circulates on the Internet. Please refer to the following forum topics for essential and reliable resources from which you may acquire the knowledge that you will need to succeed as a collector. You will also benefit from attending coin shows, coin club meetings, and other venues where you can examine a variety of coins and speak with knowledgeable collectors and dealers. powermad5000 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Unsolicited Editorial Comment: My way may be inherently unfair, but quicker... The query will be reviewed when it is received. If it concerns a 20th century U.S. coin, a standard, boilerplate reply is triggered instantaneously: "Time-barred by the Statute of Limitations" which exists primarily as a nebulous cerebral concept in the inner recesses of my mind. I applaud members like Sandon whose patience knows no bounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powermad5000 Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 Hello and welcome! There was no difference in the AM of this year. You do not have photos showing the entire side of both sides of the coin in question, but from what I can ascertain from the photos you did provide here, the cent in question is a worn and well circulated cent. The 8 in the date and the E in LIBERTY each took a good hit to them that displaced/removed some metal. I also see a large rim ding in the obverse photo near LIBERTY. None of these characteristics are errors. If we did have a wide or close AM situation, it would be considered as a variety and not as an error. You should become familiar with the basics of collecting before looking into error coins which is a completely different subject of study in this hobby. I would get myself a copy of the most recent year of the Redbook of United States Coins as well as a book titled ANA Grading Standards for United States Coins, 7th Edition. Reading these two books will give you a footing with the basics of collecting. Leave error collecting for a later time in your journey into the hobby. Henri Charriere 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velvethell Posted March 1 Author Share Posted March 1 Like I said I am new to coin collecting I have read quite a bit on it. I never really had the time In the past to be able to start collecting coins I'm 62 years old I don't have 20 years to learn things before I get into the different aspects of the coin collecting. And I'm having a little bit of problem with two areas of coin collecting that being errors and grading And I've learned for me what works best is asking somebody who does know when I'm not understanding or comprehending something so I'm very sorry to bother anyone I guess I’m trying to learn in a more rapid way than someone usually would due to starting so late and having only so much time to learn the things that you guys have had a lifetime to learn. The reason I asked about the a.m. variety is because I was not sure and I did some research. The site named www. Coinvaluechecker.com Posted this 1986 Wide AM Penny Error The wide AM error is unique to the Lincoln pennies. It refers to the space between the A and M in the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. In some pennies, the space is noticeably wide; in others, the two letters are unusually close. Changes in the die used in designing these coins are believed to have brought about these two variations. Both wide and narrow AM pennies are a source of fascination among collectors, with many willing to pay as much as $260 for wide AM 1986 pennies in mint state. This is the reason I called it an error instead of a variety and thought that the 86 pennies did have this variety. I just assumed since it was a site all about coins that they were giving me the right information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EagleRJO Posted March 1 Share Posted March 1 On 3/1/2024 at 12:36 AM, Velvethell said: The site named www. Coinvaluechecker.com Posted this ... 1986 Wide AM Penny Error The information on that site is wrong. There is a lot of incorrect or misleading information on the web, so I would stick with the resources and links referenced by Sandon above. And I wouldn't worry to much about mixing up errors and varieties as that is a common mixup newer collectors make as they are similar, with both being mistakes made by the mint. Varieties are simply mistakes made in preparing the dies used to strike coins and affects all the coins produced using those dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post Sandon Posted March 1 Popular Post Share Posted March 1 Unfortunately, as in many other contexts, websites vary in quality, and some sites, like the one to which you refer, include incomplete, incorrect, or misleading information. Others contain outright lies. I have never previously heard of and could find no reference to wide and close "AM" varieties for Lincoln, Memorial reverse, cents prior to 1992 in either the standard or deluxe ("Mega Red") version of the "Redbook", nor on NGC VarietyPlus, PCGS Coinfacts, doubleddie.com, nor lincolncentresource.com. See, for example, https://lincolncentresource.com/wideams.html, for an overview of the known wide and close "AM" varieties. One of the major areas of Internet disinformation about coins is that rare and valuable pieces can be found in circulation. This is only true in the sense that one can also win a billion-dollar prize in the Mega Millions or Powerball lotteries. It would be quite unusual even to find a coin worth a few dollars in your change, much less one worth hundreds or thousands of dollars. I'm in your age group but, unlike you, began collecting and studying U.S. coins over fifty years ago. I understand that it is somewhat different to begin collecting later in life. As I'm sure you have learned, however, nothing worthwhile in life can be achieved without knowledge, experience, and effort. At a bare minimum, you must acquire and study a current or recent standard "Redbook" and a grading guide and subscribe to a current price guide. You also must familiarize yourself with the appearance of genuine, unimpaired examples of the coins you want to collect. You may wish to limit your collecting to one or two series of coins or assemble a type set instead of trying to collect a broad range of coins. If you intend to spend a substantial amount of money without acquiring substantial knowledge, you should limit your purchases to coins certified by reputable third-party grading services such as NGC, PCGS, CAC Grading, and ANACS. Participants in these forums are volunteers who are trying to help educate new collectors like you. You're not bothering us, provided that you take our advice seriously. powermad5000, RonnieR131 and Henri Charriere 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powermad5000 Posted March 2 Share Posted March 2 On 2/29/2024 at 11:36 PM, Velvethell said: I'm very sorry to bother anyone You didn't bother me. You asked about your coin, and I took the time to respond. I enjoy trying to help by giving as accurate of information as possible. Thank you for the extra insight into your stage of collecting. Very understandable but I still don't think gaining knowledge in this hobby can be rushed or shortcut. That typically leads to bad outcomes and losses of funds. Being where you are at, I think the advice of Sandon would work well for you. Obtaining coins already authenticated and graded would take the guesswork out of grading and verifying for you. As for the grading, and I am sure others on here with 30 years or more of trying to self grade our own coins, it can still be difficult and even those of us who are pretty good at it can still get it wrong. Self grading is one of the hardest parts of this hobby. I don't know any way to try to fast track getting it down. In the meantime, if you avail yourself of the resources mentioned here, it will get you on solid footing versus some internet searches that may take you down the wrong path. Also, if you have any questions about coins, books, materials, etc. you can always come here and ask. At least here you will get solid information. While you may not have as long to collect as some of us had, getting the right information will help you enjoy coins just as much as those of us who have collected for many decades. Sandon 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 On 3/1/2024 at 9:23 AM, Sandon said: .... You also must familiarize yourself with the appearance of genuine, unimpaired examples of the coins you want to collect.... I believe this is key. Very often I am left with the impression owners of coins in lesser grades are unable to identify (or articulate) what it is they think they see because they do not have a genuine, unimproved example with which to compare their coin. This entire post is worthy of preservation in perpetuity. Excellent response! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henri Charriere Posted March 3 Share Posted March 3 On 3/2/2024 at 1:39 AM, powermad5000 said: .... Self grading is one of the hardest parts of this hobby. I don't know any way to try to fast track getting it down.... Sandon elsewhere suggested he is partial, if I am not mistaken, to a range of grades used in conjunction with adjectives. I concur. I believe the safest course of action for the OP to take is settle on a do-able series and learn as much as you can about it. If it is short, you will feel cheated. If it is long, it will be like partaking of a good meal with a few key dates to keep things interesting. First stop: get the latest copy of the "Red Book" and see what appeals to you. Collect for the sheer joy of it. You can share your acquisitions and any questions you may have with your family here, only a few keystrokes away. Happy hunting! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
