How does this sound for a 1955-S MS-66 Penny?

[Revenant]

Just the other day I managed to pick up a 1955-S penny in an NGC slab graded MS 66 RD for $13.65 after shipping and insurance. That sound good or indifferent? These slabbed pennies are confusing to me.

[rbrown4]

Numismedia Market Value is $27.50 currently for that coin.

 

Rey

[MunkyMan95]

That's a little below average price to pay, but it's an extremely common coin in a so-so grade, and doesn't have much demand.

[Revenant]

That's a little below average price to pay, but it's an extremely common coin in a so-so grade, and doesn't have much demand.

 

Call me silly but I always thought that MS 66 was a pretty solid grade for a coin. MS 67, just 1 point higher is top pop for that coin.

[Elcontador]

The 55 S Penny is similar to the 38 D Nickel, but far more of the former were minted. Millions of these coins did not circulate; they were hoarded by the BU roll.

 

A top pop for a 55 S Cent is meaningless, because there could be thousands of them in these hoarded BU rolls that when graded, may grade out at 67 or higher.

 

Make sure the coin is solid for the grade.

[MunkyMan95]

Elcontador pretty much said it all, though MS67 is the highest coin graded by NGC, many many more original rolls of full mint coins are out there, and just not really worth the cost of slabbing.

[WoodenJefferson]

Not to be a stickler but the word Penny is referenced to 1/100 of the British Pound Sterling but is used as a common but unofficial name for the one-cent coin in the United States and in Canada, worth 1/100 of the dollar.

 

This word is not used by the United States Mint or the Royal Canadian Mint, they exclusively use the word "cent" to describe the one-cent coin.

 

If you like the 1955-S in MS-66 and it makes you happy, why not? Now you have an extreemly brilliant Lincoln cent to compare other cents with and for a nominal price.

 

Happy hunting.

[James_OldeTowne]

This is a classic hoad coin. There must be thousands that grade MS-66 RD and hundreds that grade MS-67 RD that nobody bothers to slab because they are just not worth it. However, you basically paid the cost of certification, and that means you got an essentially free coin, which is a => deal!

[TomB]

This is a classic hoad coin. There must be thousands that grade MS-66 RD and hundreds that grade MS-67 RD that nobody bothers to slab because they are just not worth it. However, you basically paid the cost of certification, and that means you got an essentially free coin, which is a => deal!

Agreed that the coin is a hoard coin, but I would feel much better about getting the piece at the cost of the coin, which is likely a few dollars, than the cost of certification. Perhaps I am also a bit retentive about the term, but it always feels like someone scratching their fingernails across a blackboard when I read the term "penny" in writings about the US cent. Regardless, I am certain that the coin is quite pretty and that the difference in value for raw vs certified is trivial.

[Revenant]

Not to be a stickler but the word Penny is referenced to 1/100 of the British Pound Sterling but is used as a common but unofficial name for the one-cent coin in the United States and in Canada, worth 1/100 of the dollar.

 

This word is not used by the United States Mint or the Royal Canadian Mint, they exclusively use the word "cent" to describe the one-cent coin.

 

If you like the 1955-S in MS-66 and it makes you happy, why not? Now you have an extreemly brilliant Lincoln cent to compare other cents with and for a nominal price.

 

Happy hunting.

 

The year and mintmark have significance to me though it would be somewhat difficult to explain. I may eventually upgrade to a 67 and give the 66 to my step-father (who also collects coins and was born in that year).

 

The whole penny/cent thing seems just a little trivial to me. Yes, cent is technically correct, but I've never heard someone talk about a cent in the context of a coin, ever.

[Revenant]

Agreed that the coin is a hoard coin, but I would feel much better about getting the piece at the cost of the coin, which is likely a few dollars, than the cost of certification. Perhaps I am also a bit retentive about the term, but it always feels like someone scratching their fingernails across a blackboard when I read the term "penny" in writings about the US cent. Regardless, I am certain that the coin is quite pretty and that the difference in value for raw vs certified is trivial.

 

Penny, cent. I really just can't see what the big deal is. I've never really considered public forums to be a formal writing environment so using informal language always seems like NBD.

 

I can't imagine that the cost differential could be too high since I'm getting the certified coin for less than $14, though I've seen raw uncirc 1955-S cents going for $2-3. It's anybody's guess as to whether most of those would be 66+ or in the 60-65 range though.

[James_OldeTowne]

If this is for a gift, you might want to consider buying a roll of 1955-S cents. They are widely available, and it's practically a guarantee that many of the coins in the roll will grade MS-66+. Just be sure it's an OBW (original bank-wrapped) roll.

 

It is such a commonly available coin that I remember many times in years past dealers giving them away with purchase of other coins. I myself have owned rolls of these, and they are not easy movers.

[just-john]

So you paid $13.65 with shipping and ins so the coin was about $9.00 seller paid $20.00

to $30.00 getting it graded and shipped both ways.Buy these type coins in rolls 1955-S Brilliant Uncirculated - RED (.01)^ sell for 95 cents 1955-s v fine or better 25 cents

But if you need that plastic $13.65 deliverd not bad-good luck collecting do it for the fun not the money

[MunkyMan95]

The seller might have bought an OBW roll, sent in the best ones, and sold the ones that did not meet his expectations when graded. I know a few people that do that. Barely break even on the 66's, score big on the 67's and 68's.

[just-john]

Chad

I can see trying it on cents before say 1946 and forsure before 1936 you could make out

if you hit some 67's 68's or better.But still it's a roll of the dice .I have many old rolls form those years and wouldn't send them in for gradeing just for the plastic.I would like to think I had some idea of the grade's without the slab.That 43-d i sent you was one of my ugly ones

some are easy 68 or 69's but wouldn't get them graded yet maybe some day

[Revenant]

So you paid $13.65 with shipping and ins so the coin was about $9.00 seller paid $20.00

to $30.00 getting it graded and shipped both ways.Buy these type coins in rolls 1955-S Brilliant Uncirculated - RED (.01)^ sell for 95 cents 1955-s v fine or better 25 cents

But if you need that plastic $13.65 deliverd not bad-good luck collecting do it for the fun not the money

 

Well, I thought I said that the date-mintmark combo had significance to me but I guess I didn't make that clear enough in a previous post. The coin wouldn't have been obtained in this form otherwise. I have a complete set from 1940-2007 in albums with most of the 09-39 cents.