The scarce dates and mint marks worth checking for in every major US coin series, from Indian Head cents to Peace dollars. Each list shows the mintage, what to look for, and the varieties and errors collectors chase.
Key date means the scarcest, most sought-after coins in a series. Semi-key dates are scarce but easier to find. Better dates are worth a second look, especially in higher grades. A low mintage is only part of the story: how many coins survived, and in what condition, matters just as much.
18 series · 38 key dates · 65 semi-keys · 23 better dates
Cents
Indian Head Cents 1859–1909
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1866 | Semi-key | — | |
| 1867 | Semi-key | 9,821,000 | |
| 1868 | Semi-key | 10,266,500 | |
| 1869 | Semi-key | — | |
| 1870 | Semi-key | 5,275,000 | |
| 1871 | Semi-key | 3,929,500 | |
| 1872 | Semi-key | 4,042,000 | |
| 1876 | Semi-key | 7,944,000 | |
| 1877 | Key date | 852,500 | |
| 1878 | Semi-key | — | |
| 1908-S | Key date | 1,115,000 | |
| 1909-S | Key date | 309,000 | Lowest mintage in the series. |
Varieties and errors to look for (8)
- 1864 copper-nickel — Thicker, pale coin; no L on ribbon
- 1864 L — Tiny L on the ribbon behind the neck
- 1869/69 — Repunched date: traces under the digits
- 1873 Doubled LIBERTY — LIBERTY on the headband clearly doubled
- 1873 Open 3 — Wide gap inside the 3
- 1886 Type 2 — Lowest feather tip points between C and A
- 1888/7 — Tail of a 7 under the last 8
- 1894 doubled date — Doubled date digits
Sources: US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · APMEX: Indian Head pennies key dates and varieties · NumisView: Indian Head cent rarity list
Lincoln Wheat Cents 1909–1958
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1909 VDB | Semi-key | 27,995,000† | V.D.B. initials at the bottom of the reverse |
| 1909-S VDB | Key date | 484,000 | The most famous Lincoln key; often faked. S under the date and V.D.B. on the reverse |
| 1909-S | Key date | 1,825,000† | |
| 1910-S | Semi-key | 6,045,000 | |
| 1911-S | Semi-key | 4,026,000 | |
| 1912-S | Semi-key | 4,431,000 | |
| 1913-S | Semi-key | 6,101,000 | |
| 1914-D | Key date | 1,193,000 | Check for an added D or altered 1944-D |
| 1914-S | Semi-key | 4,137,000 | |
| 1915-S | Semi-key | 4,833,000† | |
| 1922-D | Better date | 7,160,000 | |
| 1924-D | Semi-key | 2,520,000† | |
| 1926-S | Semi-key | 4,550,000 | |
| 1931-D | Better date | 4,480,000 | |
| 1931-S | Key date | 866,000 | |
| 1932 | Better date | 9,062,000† | |
| 1933-D | Better date | 6,200,000 |
Varieties and errors to look for (11)
- 1909-S/Horizontal S — Sideways S under the mintmark
- 1917 DDO — Doubled date and IN GOD WE TRUST
- 1922 No D — No D at all, sharp second 2, strong TRUST
- 1936 DDO — Doubled date, LIBERTY and motto
- 1941 DDO — Doubled motto and date
- 1943 bronze — Copper-colored 1943; not magnetic; 3.11 g
- 1943/2-S — A 2 under the 3 in the date
- 1944 steel — Gray 1944 that sticks to a magnet
- 1944-D/S — S visible under the D
- 1946-S/D — D visible under the S
- 1955 DDO — Bold doubled date and LIBERTY
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · Lincoln Cent Resource: Mintage figures · Lincoln Cent Resource: Key dates · APMEX: Lincoln wheat pennies key dates · CoinWeek: The 12 rare Lincoln cent doubled dies
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Lincoln Memorial Cents 1959–2008
Varieties and errors to look for (16)
- 1960 Small Date — Tops of the 1 and 9 are level
- 1960-D Small Date — Tops of the 1 and 9 are level
- 1960-D/D Small over Large — Extra D touching the 9
- 1969-S DDO — Doubled date and motto; S not doubled
- 1970-S Small Date — 7 level with the 0; weak LIBERTY
- 1970-S DDO — Doubled motto and LIBERTY
- 1971 DDO — Doubled motto and LIBERTY
- 1972 DDO — Widely doubled date, LIBERTY and motto
- 1983 DDR — Doubled ONE CENT and reverse legends
- 1984 DDO — Extra earlobe below Lincoln's ear
- 1992 Close AM — A and M touching in AMERICA
- 1992-D Close AM — A and M touching in AMERICA
- 1995 DDO — Strongly doubled LIBERTY and motto
- 1998 Wide AM — Clear gap between A and M in AMERICA
- 1999 Wide AM — Clear gap between A and M; scarcest of the three
- 2000 Wide AM — Clear gap between A and M in AMERICA
Sources: Lincoln Cent Resource: Mintage figures · Wikipedia: Lincoln cent mintage figures · Numismatic News: Lincoln Memorial cents · CoinWeek: 1982 Lincoln cent · US Mint: Coin specifications
Lincoln Bicentennial and Shield Cents 2009–2025
Varieties and errors to look for (1)
- 2009 Formative Years DDR — Extra finger or thumb on the rail-splitter
Sources: Wikipedia: Lincoln cent mintage figures · US Mint: Ceremonial strike for final production of the circulating cent · US Mint: Coin specifications
Nickels
Buffalo Nickels 1913–1938
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1913-S Type 1 | Semi-key | 2,105,000 | FIVE CENTS on a raised mound |
| 1913-D Type 2 | Semi-key | 4,156,000† | FIVE CENTS in a recess under a flat line |
| 1913-S Type 2 | Key date | 1,209,000 | FIVE CENTS in a recess under a flat line |
| 1914-D | Semi-key | 3,912,000 | |
| 1915-S | Semi-key | 1,505,000 | |
| 1921-S | Key date | 1,557,000 | |
| 1924-S | Key date | 1,437,000 | |
| 1926-S | Key date | 970,000 | Lowest mintage in the series. |
| 1931-S | Semi-key | 1,200,000 |
Varieties and errors to look for (7)
- 1914/3 — Serifs of a 3 behind the 4
- 1916 DDO — Strongly doubled date
- 1918/7-D — Flat-topped 8 with a 7 underneath
- 1935 DDR — Doubled FIVE CENTS and E PLURIBUS UNUM
- 1936-D 3½ legs — Bison's front leg partly missing
- 1937-D 3 legs — Bison has only three legs
- 1938-D/S — S under the D mintmark
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · Wikipedia: United States nickel mintage figures · APMEX: Buffalo nickels key dates and varieties
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Jefferson Nickels and Wartime Silver 1938–1964
Print a sorting sheet → Silver War Nickel: melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1938-D | Better date | 5,376,000 | |
| 1938-S | Better date | 4,105,000 | |
| 1939-D | Semi-key | 3,514,000† | |
| 1939-S | Better date | 6,630,000 | |
| 1942-D | Better date | 13,938,000 | Regular alloy; small D right of Monticello. |
| 1949-S | Better date | 9,716,000 | |
| 1950-D | Key date | 2,630,030 | |
| 1951-S | Better date | 7,776,000 | |
| 1955 | Better date | 8,266,200 |
Varieties and errors to look for (8)
- 1939 Doubled Monticello — MONTICELLO and FIVE CENTS doubled
- 1942-D over horizontal D — Sideways D under the mintmark
- 1943/2-P — Traces of a 2 under the 3
- 1943-P doubled eye — Doubled eyelid on Jefferson
- 1945-P DDR — Doubled reverse lettering
- 1949-D/S — S under the D mintmark
- 1954-S/D — D under the S mintmark
- 1955-D/S — S under the D mintmark
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · Wikipedia: United States nickel mintage figures · APMEX: Jefferson nickels key dates and varieties
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Jefferson Nickels 1965–2025
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-P | Better date | 39,840,000† | |
| 2009-D | Better date | 46,800,000† |
Varieties and errors to look for (1)
- 2005-D Speared Bison — Raised line through the bison's back
Sources:
Wikipedia: United States nickel mintage figures · APMEX: Jefferson nickels key dates and varieties · CoinWeek: 2005-D Speared Bison · US Mint: Coin specifications
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Dimes
Mercury Dimes 1916–1945
Print a sorting sheet → Mercury Dime: melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916-D | Key date | 264,000 | Often faked by adding a D. Check the D is not added |
| 1917-D | Semi-key | 9,402,000 | |
| 1919-D | Semi-key | 9,939,000 | |
| 1919-S | Semi-key | 8,850,000 | |
| 1921 | Key date | 1,230,000 | Don't confuse a worn 1921 with 1931 |
| 1921-D | Key date | 1,080,000 | |
| 1923-S | Semi-key | 6,440,000 | |
| 1924-D | Semi-key | 6,810,000 | |
| 1925-D | Semi-key | 5,117,000 | |
| 1926-S | Semi-key | 1,520,000 | |
| 1927-D | Better date | 4,812,000 | |
| 1927-S | Better date | 4,770,000 | |
| 1928-D | Semi-key | 4,161,000 | |
| 1930-S | Semi-key | 1,843,000 | |
| 1931 | Better date | 3,150,000† | |
| 1931-D | Semi-key | 1,260,000 | |
| 1931-S | Semi-key | 1,800,000 |
Varieties and errors to look for (3)
- 1942/1 — A 1 visible inside the 2
- 1942/1-D — A 1 inside the 2, with D mintmark
- 1945-S Micro S — Tiny S, much smaller than normal
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · coindex: Mercury dime mintages · CoinWeek: Classic Mercury dime key dates · CoinWeek: Collecting semi-key Mercury dimes
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Roosevelt Dimes (Silver) 1946–1964
Print a sorting sheet → Roosevelt Dime (Silver): melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1949-S | Better date | 13,510,000† | |
| 1950-S | Better date | 20,440,000 | |
| 1955 | Better date | 12,450,181† | Lowest-mintage Roosevelt. |
| 1955-D | Better date | 13,959,000 | |
| 1955-S | Better date | 18,510,000 |
Varieties and errors to look for (3)
- 1953-S/S — S punched over another S
- 1963 DDR — Doubled ONE DIME
- 1964-D DDR — Doubled ONE DIME
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · Wikipedia: Roosevelt dime mintage figures · APMEX: Roosevelt dimes key dates and varieties
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Roosevelt Dimes (Clad) 1965–2025
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2009-P | Better date | 96,500,000† | |
| 2009-D | Better date | 49,500,000† |
Varieties and errors to look for (1)
- 1982 No P — No P mintmark above the date
Sources:
Wikipedia: Roosevelt dime mintage figures · APMEX: Roosevelt dimes key dates and varieties · US Mint: Coin specifications · US Mint: Semiquincentennial (2026) coin resources
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Quarters
Washington Quarters (Silver) 1932–1964
Print a sorting sheet → Washington Quarter (Silver): melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1932-D | Key date | 436,800 | Rarest in mint state. |
| 1932-S | Key date | 408,000 | Lowest-mintage business strike. |
| 1936-D | Semi-key | 5,374,000 | |
| 1937-S | Semi-key | 1,652,000 | |
| 1938-S | Semi-key | 2,832,000 | |
| 1939-S | Semi-key | 2,628,000 | |
| 1940-D | Semi-key | 2,797,600 |
Varieties and errors to look for (8)
- 1934 DDO — Doubled IN GOD WE TRUST
- 1937 DDO — Strong doubling on the motto
- 1942-D DDO — Doubled LIBERTY
- 1943 DDO — Doubled date and motto
- 1943-S DDO — Doubled date and motto
- 1950-D/S — S under the D
- 1950-S/D — D under the S
- 1964-D Type C reverse — Sharper wreath leaves (1965-style reverse)
Sources: US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · Wikipedia: Washington quarter mintage figures · APMEX: Washington quarters key dates and varieties · Greysheet: Washington quarter varieties
Washington Quarters (Clad) 1965–1998
Varieties and errors to look for (4)
- 1965 on silver planchet — Weighs about 6.25 g; no copper stripe on the edge
- 1966 DDR — Doubled reverse lettering
- 1970-D DDR — Doubled reverse lettering
- 1983-P Spitting Eagle — Die-clash line down from the eagle's beak
Sources: Wikipedia: Washington quarter mintage figures · APMEX: Washington quarters key dates and varieties · US Mint: Coin specifications
50 State and Territories Quarters 1999–2009
Varieties and errors to look for (4)
- Wisconsin D Extra Leaf High — Extra leaf on the corn points up
- Wisconsin D Extra Leaf Low — Extra leaf on the corn curves down
- Minnesota P doubled die — Ghost extra trees right of the map
- Kansas "In God We Rust" — T missing from TRUST (grease-filled die)
Sources: US Mint: 2009 DC and Territories quarters · APMEX: Kansas state quarter errors · US Mint: Coin specifications
Half Dollars
Walking Liberty Halves 1916–1947
Print a sorting sheet → Walking Liberty Half Dollar: melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1916 | Semi-key | 608,000 | |
| 1916-D | Semi-key | 1,014,400 | Mintmark on the obverse |
| 1916-S | Key date | 508,000 | Mintmark on the obverse |
| 1917-D obverse | Semi-key | 765,400† | D below IN GOD WE TRUST |
| 1917-S obverse | Semi-key | 952,000 | S below IN GOD WE TRUST |
| 1919 | Semi-key | 962,000 | |
| 1919-D | Semi-key | 1,165,000 | |
| 1919-S | Semi-key | 1,552,000 | |
| 1921 | Key date | 246,000 | |
| 1921-D | Key date | 208,000 | |
| 1921-S | Key date | 548,000 | |
| 1938-D | Key date | 491,600† |
Varieties and errors to look for (1)
- 1946 DDR — Doubled E PLURIBUS UNUM and wing feathers
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · CoinCommunity: Walking Liberty half mintages · APMEX: Walking Liberty half key dates
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Franklin Halves 1948–1963
Print a sorting sheet → Franklin Half Dollar: melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Key date | 3,006,814† | |
| 1949-D | Semi-key | — | Scarce in high grades. |
| 1949-S | Key date | 3,744,000† | |
| 1953 | Key date | 2,668,120† | |
| 1955 | Key date | 2,498,181† |
Varieties and errors to look for (1)
- 1955 Bugs Bunny — Die clash that looks like buck teeth
Sources:
Numista: Franklin half dollar · APMEX: Franklin half dollars key dates
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Kennedy Halves 1964–2025
Print a sorting sheet → Kennedy Half Dollar (Silver): melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970-D | Key date | 2,150,000† | Sold only in mint sets. |
| 1987-P | Semi-key | 2,890,758† | Sold only in mint sets. |
| 1987-D | Semi-key | 2,890,758† | Sold only in mint sets. |
Varieties and errors to look for (4)
- 1964 DDO — Doubled lettering on the obverse
- 1972-D No FG — No FG initials under the eagle's leg
- 1974-D DDO — Doubled IN GOD WE TRUST
- 1982-P No FG — FG initials missing (common)
Sources:
Wikipedia: Kennedy half dollar mintage figures · APMEX: Kennedy half dollar key dates · CoinNews: 2026 Semiquincentennial half dollar · US Mint: Coin specifications
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Dollars
Morgan Dollars 1878–1904, 1921
Print a sorting sheet → Morgan Silver Dollar: melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1879-CC | Semi-key | 756,000 | |
| 1880-CC | Semi-key | 591,000 | |
| 1881-CC | Key date | 296,000 | |
| 1884-S | Semi-key | 3,200,000 | Rare in uncirculated. |
| 1885-CC | Key date | 228,000 | |
| 1889-CC | Key date | 350,000 | |
| 1892-S | Semi-key | 1,200,000 | |
| 1893-CC | Key date | 677,000 | |
| 1893-O | Key date | 300,000 | |
| 1893-S | Key date | 100,000 | Many fakes and altered dates. |
| 1894 | Key date | 110,000 | |
| 1895 | Key date | — | Proof only: 880 proofs struck; no business strikes known. |
| 1895-O | Semi-key | 450,000 | |
| 1895-S | Semi-key | 400,000 | |
| 1903-S | Semi-key | 1,241,000 | |
| 1904-S | Semi-key | 2,304,000 |
Varieties and errors to look for (10)
- 1878 8 tail feathers — Count 8 feathers in the eagle's tail
- 1878 7/8 tail feathers — Extra feather tips under the 7
- 1880/79-S — 9 visible under the last 0
- 1882-O/S — S visible under the O
- 1887/6 — 6 visible under the 7
- 1887/6-O — 6 under the 7, O mintmark
- 1888-O Hot Lips — Doubled lips on Liberty
- 1888-O Scarface — Die gouge across the cheek
- 1900-O/CC — CC traces under the O
- 1903-S Micro S — Unusually small S
Sources: US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · APMEX: Morgan dollar mintages · APMEX: Morgan dollar key dates
Peace Dollars 1921–1935
Print a sorting sheet → Peace Silver Dollar: melt value →
| Coin | Rank | Mintage | What to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1921 | Key date | 1,006,473† | High relief, one-year type. |
| 1924-S | Semi-key | 1,728,000 | |
| 1925-S | Semi-key | 1,610,000 | |
| 1927 | Semi-key | 848,000 | |
| 1927-D | Semi-key | 1,268,900 | |
| 1927-S | Semi-key | 866,000 | |
| 1928 | Key date | 360,649† | |
| 1928-S | Semi-key | 1,632,000 | |
| 1934 | Semi-key | 954,057† | |
| 1934-S | Key date | 1,011,000 |
Varieties and errors to look for (1)
- 1934-D DDO — Doubled date
Sources:
US Mint: Domestic and Foreign Coins Manufactured by Mints of the United States, 1792–1965 (mintages) · NGC: Jeff Garrett on Peace dollars · APMEX: Peace dollars key dates and varieties
† From the other sources listed: the US Mint report covers 1792–1965 and gives some dates only as a total (for example proofs included, or both varieties of a date together).
Before you celebrate
- Check the mint mark with a magnifier. Added, removed or altered mint marks are the most common fakes of key dates (a 1916 dime with a D added, for example).
- Compare the weight with the coin’s specifications. Our coin pages list the standard weight for each type.
- Don’t clean the coin. Cleaning can cut a key date’s value by half or more.
- For a valuable date, have it authenticated by a professional grading service before you buy or sell.
Sort your coins by date first with a free printable sorting sheet; key dates are marked on every sheet. Mintages before 1966 are checked against the US Mint’s own published figures.