WAMs and CAMs

I've added a video on YouTube to help explain these:

There is not enough information out there in enough places for people to fully grasp the nature of these reverse die varieties.   It's time I offer what I can to help close this discrepancy.  These are truly a Family of die varieties: WAMs and CAMs.

WAM: RDV-006 Wide AM

CAM: RDV-007 Close AM

When the first Memorial Reverse design was minted in 1959, it featured a gap between the A and M in AMERICA.  The design stayed mostly the same, with a few minor touch ups which nobody much noticed, but they rejoiced nonetheless.  Until 1988.
That was the year of a minor reverse die redesign.  Variety Vista lists this new design as RDV-006.  It was not supposed to be used until 1989.  The RDV-005 was supposed to be used.  Problem is, both the RDV-005 and RDV-006 have a space between the A and M.  The only notable difference was the small horizontal bar and flared bottom on the G in the designer's initials. 

RDV-005

Being both reverse designs were used in 1988 at Philadelphia and Denver, 2 new varieties came into existence.  Later, 3 more varieties would be result from the same design.

1988
The first born is the 1988 RDV-006.  This is listed in The Cherrypicker's Guide as FS-01-1988-901 (FS stands for Fivaz and Stanton, the authors).  This is sometimes referred to as the '1988 with the reverse of 1989. 
There were several different dies used in Philadelphia.  Variety Vista lists 3 on their website.  Wexler attributes 7.
At the same time in Denver, a similar situation presented, this time with 3 dies used.  This is listed by Variety Vista as 1988-D RDV-006, and in the CPG as FS-01-1988D-901.  Variety Vista attributes 3 dies for Denver, suggesting it is much harder to find than the Philadelphia version.  Wexler attributes 12 dies.

RDV-006
Flared G

Conversely,


These are the Variety Vista listings for the 1988 and 1988-D RDV-006 varieties:

1988 1c RDV-006, Die 1 of 7

1988 1c RDV-006, Die 2 of 7

1988 1c RDV-006, Die 7 of 7

1988-D 1c RDV-006, Die 1 of 3

1988-D 1c RDV-006, Die 2 of 3

1988-D 1c RDV-006, Die 3 of 3

These varieties are worth GOOD MONEY.  We're talking 50 bucks for a 1988, a hundred bucks and up for a 1988-D uncirculated specimen. 
These are well worth pulling out of rolls for close inspection.  Since the difference between the RDV-005 and RDV-006 is the flared G in the designers initials, I recommend at least a 20x loupe, with a 30x being optimum for identifying this variety.

1992
The RDV-006 Reverse Design was used from 1988 to 1992.  A new reverse design, RDV-007, was to begin in 1993, but as happened in 1988, use of the new design began prematurely at Philadelphia and Denver.  This new reverse design featured a very tiny gap between the A and M in America.  They are nearly touching.  It became known as the Close AM variety (CAM) as seen above.  In addition, the designers initials, FG, were moved further from the memorial and the horizontal serif removed from the G.  Fivaz and Stanton attribute this variety as 1992-FS-901 and 1992D-FS-901.  Variety Vista lists them:

1992 1c RDV-007, Die 1 of 1

1992-D 1c RDV-007, Die 1 of 1 
Wexler has 2 attributed dies for 1992-D

ALERT!
John Wexler has attributed a 2nd 1992-D Close AM die pair.
See Ken Potter's article in the Numismatic News, July 28, 2017

With a single die used at each mint, these are quite scarce.  Accordingly, the values listed in various price guides is correspondingly delightful, in the mid hundreds.  The 1992-D is the less populous and more valuable of this pair. 
The difference between the Wide AM on the RDV-006 and the Close AM RDV-007 is substantial.  If your eyesight is good, you can identify this variety without assistance.  If you need assistance, a $2 5x magnifying glass from Walmart is good enough to do the job. 

1996
Reports of 1996 WAMs are unsubstantiated and all claims have been debunked.  Such a coin does not exist.

1998, 1999, 2000
Production of business strikes using the RDV-007 CAM reverse continued from 1992 through the end of the design in 2008.  For whatever reason, the old RDV-006 Reverse Design resurfaced in Philadelphia in 1998, 1999, and 2000. 
The new children of the family do not have a listing on Variety Vista, Coppercoins, or Wexler.  Fivaz and Stanton attribute these as FS-01-(year)-901.
1998 WAM, harder to find than the 2000 WAM, but they are out there.  $5-$20.
1999 WAM, the hardest to find and most valuable, good for a few hundred bucks!
2000 WAM, the easiest to find, good for $20 in uncirculated

Brilliant Uncirculated 2000 WAM found in circulation by Denise Catania

1998-S and 1999-S Proof
1993 was the only year the CAM was to be used on Proof issues, returning to the WAM design from 1994 through 2008.  This was not to be, with the RDV-007 once again showing up in 1998 and 1999, this time in San Fransisco. 
CPG: FS-01-(date)-901.
1998-S 1c RDV-007
1999-S 1c RDV-007

1998-S Proof CAM, CPG lists prices ranging from $100-300
1999-S Proof CAM, CPG lists prices in the 75-150 range

In all of these varieties there are only 2 designs that matter:  WAMs and CAMs.  That 1988 from way back...that's the same reverse as the 1998/99/2000 WAM.  It should be called 1988 WAM.  Since the change from the previous design is identifiable only from the FG, I will call it 1988 WAM-FG

We are looking for 5 Wide AM varieties:
1988 WAM-FG
1988-D WAM-FG
1998 WAM
1999 WAM
2000 WAM

We are looking for 4 Close AM varieties:
1992 CAM
1992-D CAM
1998-S CLAM
1999-S CLAM
So as not to be confused with CAMeo Proof I have taken it upon myself to add the L

IDENTIFICATION
There are 4 primary distinctions between WAMs and CAMs

1. Distance between A and M
2. Distance between designer's initials and Memorial
3. Presence or Absence of horizontal bar on the G in the designer's initials
4. The Distance between the A in States and the neighboring Ts.

You can see the distance between the A and M in the photos at the top of this article.  On the WAM, the distance is about the width of the leg of the M.  On the CAM, they are almost touching.  You would be hard pressed to fit a sheet of paper through the gap.
You can compare your WAM to the reverse of a 1990 or 1991.  Both P and D of those years will have the RDV-006, which was the intended design variety for those years.  For the CAM reverse, RDV-007, compare with the reverse of any business strike from 1993 through 2008.

 Close AM, The distance is about the same as height of the F

The designer's initials can be identified with geometry.  On the CAM, the FG is further from the memorial.  Look to the side of the F.  If you can imagine drawing a square with that side, it would fit between the FG and the memorial.  On a WAM, the FG is closer.  Using that same side of the F, you would have a tall rectangle.

WAM, Wide AM, The distance is less than the height of the F

Compare the G in the FG. 
On the CAM (top photo) there is no horizontal Bar.
The WAM has a horizontal bar, the vertical flare is more prominent, and the upper curve points downward.

For 1988 and 1988-D, this variety is the Big Money.

RDV-006, The WAM design.
Note the distance between the bottom of the A in states and the neighboring Ts is equal.

RDV-007, The CAM reverse design.
Note the bottom of the A in States is closer to the 2nd T.











Prospects For Future Value
I am of the opinion that these varieties are important enough to have earned a place in Dansco and Whitman albums. They both have 55 DDO and 72 DDO, and WAMs much easier, although still tough, to find.  Should those companies make the decision to add representation of these RDVs to their albums, demand for these varieties will immediately surge. That $5 AU will jump. That Handsome MS-64RD found by Denise Catania  will explode way past the $20 mark it is at today.
The CAMs and WAMs are one big happy family that need representation and recognition. When it arrives, you'll do well to have gathered as many as you can.


Further reading
Lincoln Cent Forum: 1988, 1992, 1998, 1999, and 2000: Wrong design dies on cents
Wexler: Transitional Design Variety Listings

Chuck Daughtrey found a 1992 Close AM which proved to be a fake.  See his video:

Confusing Names
In regards to the 1988 and 1988-D reverse designs, there exists a great deal of onfusion.  At issue is the inherent lack of nomenclature standards among the several attribution and certification entities.

PCGS calls it Wide Am and cross references The Cherrypickers Guide FS-901
http://www.pcgscoinfacts.com/Coin/Detail/569367

NGC calls it the Reverse of 1989 and cross references CONECA RDV-006.  On the 1998, 1999, and 2000 varieties NGC calls it Wide "AM" and cross references FS-901.
https://www.ngccoin.com/variety-plus/united-states/cents/1717/

CONECA describes it as a transitional design variety and cross references FS-901
http://varietyvista.com/01b%20LC%20Doubled%20Dies%20Vol%202/1988PRDV0061.htm

The Cherrypickers Guide calls it a Reverse Design Change and cross refereces CONECA RDV-006.

Wexler uses LMRD-006, Lincoln Memorial Reverse Design and also cross references CONECA RDV-006
http://doubleddie.com/278743.html

Crawford uses CTRD-001, Crawford Transitional Reverse Design and cross references Wexler's WTRD before Wexler changed to LMRD.
Later in the book, Crawford calls it a Wide AM, classifies it as a Type 2 Wide AM Variety and cross references FS-901

Coin Roll Hunting Project: Assemble a Complete Set of a Series

Here's a project for Coin Roll Hunters: Assemble a complete set of a particular series from circulation.
This is a project that is well suited for getting the kids involved.

If you haven't figured it out from the name of this blog, I work primarily with Lincoln Cents. 

I go through thousands of them regularly and can say with experience that it is entirely possible to put together a handsome set of Lincoln Memorial Cents simply by searching through circulated rolls.  The more you search through, the better the condition and the more complete your set will become.  What's more, during the process you'll be able to start a set of Wheats, find some errors and varieties, pick up some foreign coins from time to time, and learn a great deal in the process.  Doing this with the kids, it becomes a learning experience and is quality time spent developing their skills.  As an added perk, it does not cost much.

The Memorial Reverse Design began in 1959, on the 50th anniversary of the Lincoln Cent Obverse design.  The previous 50 years, 1909-1958, the Wheat Reverse Design was used.  In 2009 the reverse was changed to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the design as well as the bicentennial of Abe Lincoln's birth.  With the next year came the Union Shield design which will probably continue into the foreseeable future.  All of these are easily found in circulation, including specimens from all 3 mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Fransisco.  There are doubled dies, repunched mintmarks, changes in metal composition, minor design varieties, large and small dates, errors, circulated and uncirculated specimens...you've got the whole numismatic spectrum to work with, all in a box of pennies. 

A box of rolled cents can be picked up an your bank for $25.  This is a tidy box of 50 rolls, 2500 coins.  It will weigh about 16 pounds so it won't break your back and a kid could carry one.  In that box will be a wide assortment of dates and mintmarks.  If $25 is too much to bear, a few rolls at a time will get you though.  There's no hurry on this project.  Your objective is to pick out the best example of each date and mintmark available in order to complete your set.  Mind you, there are 128 different dates, mintmarks, and  reverse designs produced for circulation since 1959. 

51 Different Dates and Mintmarks from 1941-1958

You probably won't find every one of them in a single box.  Experience says you may need to search through several boxes to complete a set.  Rather than tie up a whole bunch of cash, you can just do one box or a number of roll at a time.   What you don't keep you roll up and take back to the bank.  Start a savings account or college fund for the kids if you are so inclined.

The first batch of cents will get you off to a fine start.  The bigger the batch, the more complete the set will be, and the better condition the selected specimens will be.  This is a project where statistics is the key factor in determining what you find.  Around half of the coins in the batch will be modern-produced since the turn of the century.  Many of these will have full luster and be in great condition.  Another third will be older, 1980s and 90s, but will still offer high grade specimens.  About 15% will be 1960s and 1970s, and many of these will be brown, with plenty of visible wear.  In every few dollars in face value yoou search through, there's a pretty good chance of finding a wheat cent. 

There is a process that evolves:
Get the coins
Sort them by year and mintmark
Select the best specimen to add to your collection or replace what you have
Take back the rejects
Repeat

With each iteration of the process, your collection will grow and improve.  You'll also learn as you go, becoming able to identify small and large dates, zinc and copper, Wide AMs and Close AMs, as well as what to look at for die varieties.  For a couple of bucks, you can pick up a magnifying glass to better identify some of these varieties.  You'll pick up some flips or an album to better organize your collection.  You may wish to purchase a loupe or better desk lamp.  This is a hobby of accumulation.  Over time, those tools and supplies will help you to expand into other series besides Lincoln Cents.

Here's a short video:

 

Lincoln Memorial Cent, Business Strike

Memorial Reverse Design.  This specimen is off center.

See also: a short list of die varieties, The Cheat Sheet
Lincoln Cents Checklist 1909-2017

Good Luck
Happy Hunting

No FG and Floating Roof

There are lesser known die varieties out there.  The 1969 D No FG is an example of what I'm talking about.  This refers to the initials of designer of the Memorial Reverse, Frank Gasparro, while he was Assistant Engraver for the US Mint.  Although not an intentional design, this anomaly presented as a result of overpolishing and/or a blockage of grease on the reverse die.

Designer initials in their natural habitat

Denise Catania has sent in photos of 3 dates with No FG: 1969-D, 1971-D, 1972-D.   The 1969-D is the most common date.  I was pleasantly surprised to see her 1972-D example.   All these dates are found on the Cheat Sheet.

There are specimens in which overpolishing has removed the details of the soffit below the roof.  This is called a "Floating Roof".  The creation of these varieties is not by design, nor is it an error.  It is a production anomaly and the level of quality is often subjective and open to debate.  Nonetheless, some of these are recognized minor die varieties.  Fivas and Stanton attribute the 1969-D as FS-901 in The Cherrypicker's Guide and it has been recognized by PCGS, with top grade specimens selling in the hundreds.  I understand that PCGS no longer certifies these coins. 

There are specimens with a floating roof, others with missing designer initials.  While these are nice to keep around and sell for a buck or two, the ideal specimens have a floating roof and NO TRACE of the initials.  Top quality specimens can sell for a handsome premium.

Keep an eye out for them.

1969-D No FG Obverse

1969-D No FG Reverse

1971-D No FG Obverse

1971-D No FG Reverse

1972-D No FG Obverse

1972-D No FG Reverse

Selling Your Coins Online

Coin Roll Hunting brings with it some incidental expenses.  There is fuel to pick up or drop off rolls, the cost of wrappers or 9% coinstar fees, and supplies for holding and storing your finds.  At the very least it would be nice to recover the face value you pick out in order to get another full box.  Perhaps you would like a better loupe or scale to better identify what you have. 

Cash...still just as good as money.

There are loupes, endoscopes, microscopes, cameras and scales, and these can be some high dollar purchases. 

You are pulling out all those coins because they are supposed to be valuable.  It makes sense that selling some of your coins would help you offset the cost of some of those high dollar purchases and move forward with your coin roll hunting project.  You have the advantage of low product cost: face value. 

Back in the day the most practical method of selling was taking your stock down to the local coin shop, coin club, or coin show.  Mail order sales was possible but this was usually done without so much as photos of the coins being sold-just a list of dates with grades and prices.  While all this is still possible, there are better options available with the internet and digital technology: sell online.

 If you are reading this blog, chances are pretty good that you have access to a computer or a phone.  That's most of what you need to sell online.  If the phone has a good enough camera, you're all set.  The combination needed is a decent camera and a way to get the photos posted.  It's a sure bet that I'm not a professional photographer so I won't get into details or tips on photography.  As long as the photo is good enough, you should be able to start selling.

WHERE TO SELL
There are plenty of websites that allow you to list and sell your coins.  Some have fees, some don't.  There are professional auction sites that are best suited for the finest coins in the world.  These include Stack's Bowers Galleries and Heritage Auctions.  For coins being pulled out of circulation being sold directly by you, there are other sites which are more appropriate which I will discuss below.  If you want to get deeply into it or have LOTS of coins to offer, consider your own website.

eBay
This is probably the most widely used auction site in the world.  They attract a huge audience, have payment systems in place, allow you to post photos as well as text descriptions, and have features in place for the buyer and seller to settle disputes.  It costs nothing to set up an account, although you will need a Paypal account.  If you have only a handful of items each month selling in a No Reserve Auction costs nothing if the item does not sell.  If something does sell, eBay handles the transaction and it's fees will be deducted from the buyer's payment before you get it.  For coins, the fee is 10% + 30¢.  Paypal also charges 3% of the total sale + 30¢ per transaction.
If you have a large number of items to sell, there are features such as an eBay Store which reduce your costs and commissions.  The disadvantages here are lack of moderation and the risk of being lost in the crowd.  Without moderation the issue is more a problem for buyers.  For sellers, the shear volume of items being sold means your items may not be seen by that huge audience.

USA Coin Book
This one is less well known.  While the site has considerably less traffic than eBay, it's a site that handles only coins and related items.  The commission structure is a much more reasonable 2% flat fee on the final sale.  Paypal fees apply.  You can list everything you have and don't pay a thing until something sells.

Craigslist
This is a classified ad site.  You can list anything and everything.  There is no commission.  They do not handle payments.  It is up to you to negotiate directly with the seller.  Since it is a local sale, you will have to meet the buyer in person.  For reasons of security it is recommended that this be in a public place, a restaurant for instance, rather than at your home.

Coin Forums
There are several forums out there with hundreds to thousands of members.  Some allow sales on the site.  As with Craigslist, these sites do not handle payment.

Facebook
What started as a social networking site has developed over the years to include Groups.  There are scores of coin related groups which operate much like a forum.  Some allow sales with set prices, others only auctions.  Some specialize in particular issues such as Lincoln Cents or with a focus on errors and die varieties.  These groups have the advantage of being administered by attentive and responsive moderators.  Buyers who don't pay are removed.  Seller's who don't ship are removed.  You can get involved in the group without buying and selling.  This lets you get to know the people on a more personal level.  Over time, you build a rapport with buyers and sellers alike.  The size of the group is an important factor.  When the group grows to a substantial size, say 10-20 thousand members, the personal touch can be lost.  Still, there are large group which haven proven to be cohesive.  You can list items with no commission.  If the item is for a fixed price, the sale can proceed immediately.  It is up to you to invoice or bill the buyer.  Paypal comes in very handy in this aspect.  You can also accept money orders, concealed cash, personal checks (if you dare), or settle on a trade.  If you so wish, you can start your own group or set up a page of your own.  This is one of my preferred venues.

Personal Website or Blog
This will take effort to set up and is a long term commitment so it may not be for everyone.  There are free websites such as Blogger (you are reading this on a Blogger site).  Alternately you can use a fee based server.  I use GoDaddy for another website of mine.  It costs me about $127/year for the domain name and server fees.  With a dedicated website it takes time to attract a viewer base.  I offer information, tips, suggestions, and essays intended to inform the reader.  I'm adding coins and items for sale over the next few weeks.  Blogs and websites have the advantage of developing revenue through several methods in addition to direct sales.  I'm sure to talk about those over time.
A dedicated website demands more than simply listing coins for sale.  It is a lifestyle choice.  It requires dedication and constant drive.  If you are up to it, it can be a wonderful means of developing an income.

Some pointers

You'll find selling on facebook to be easy. Best part is the moderators keeping the deadbeats out.

There are several groups which allow selling coins, be sure to read the rules first, some allow auctions, some allow BIN, some allow both.

-Good Photos, front and back, just the coin, best size is 750 pixels across but larger is appreciated. Clear detail is key

-Describe your coin as best you can, in your own words. Mention the good as well as the bad-you dont want the piece getting returned so if there is a flaw, let the people know.

-Explain payment options, be it paypal, USPS money order, concealed cash (with applicable limits)

-Explain shipping and shipping charges. If you are going to drop it in an envelope and put a stamp on it, please mention that. Most folks like their coin in a holder protected with bubble wrap, shipped USPS 1st class with tracking. I charge $3 for shipping, covers the envelope, shipping label, $2.62 postage, packaging and paypal fees on the $3 charge. If you will only ship to US address, mention that. most groups assume shiping is paid by the seller if it is not stated in the listing.

-list the price if it's a BIN, Buy It Now,

-List the starting bid if its an auction, minimum increments how the auction will end, and the BIN price if someone wants to skip the bidding and take it.

-When the auction is over, be sure to announce the winner and send a PM to discuss payment and shipping arrangements

-Have the coin ready to ship when it is listed. When the auction is over, all you have to do is get it to the post office
-If you accept returns, explain the terms.  Don't spend the money until the return period has passed.

I use a script when listing a coin on facebook so I don't leave anything out.
I have a script I use. Real simple text file, I copy/paste then fill in information specific for the item. I use this, I don't leave anything out.
>>>

Description
[2018 Lincoln Cent MS71RD ]
[blah blah, its nice, you should buy it]

---
Grade is my opinion. Coin pictured is the coin you are buying.
This lot WILL SELL once the starting bid is met, to the highest bidder. It is not being sold or offered anywhere else.

THIS IS AN AUCTION.
Starting Bid: $5

Auction ends when 24 hours have passed since the last bid

Payment in US funds by Paypal Goods and Services, or Postal Money Order.

Shipping: $3, USPS 1st Class with tracking, USA only. Combined shipping on all purchases within a 10 day window in any group.

14 Day Return for any reason gets you the purchase price refunded. No refund on shipping charges.

Bid Early!
Bid Often!
Good Luck!
Lot#:

<<<

Further reading
Open a checking account for your coins

To Sort or Not To Sort

I sort. I'm a sorter. Sort of...
Some coin roll hunters sort the coins by year prior to inspection, some don't.  There are several reasons why one would sort a pile of coins.  What you are looking for will help you decide if it makes sense.  I see videos on Youtube where the narrator is searching for wheat cents or silver.  In these cases, sorting would be a waste of time.  As you can can see in this video by NumisNick, his target is silver Kennedy Halves and NIFCs.  Although he conducts what I call a Topical Search, He can blaze through a box of halves in no time and has some success.  His advantage is volume.

Perpetual Clutter on the Sorting Table

If the title of the blog has not offered any hints, I primarily search Lincoln Cents.  I look for everything: Wheats, Indians, doubled dies, errors, design varieties, die varieties, BU specimens, and whatever else is in those rolls worthy of picking out.  I live out in the woods so running to the bank every day is not feasible.  It costs me a $5 bill in fuel to run to the store for a loaf of bread.  What rolls I have available need to be picked over with a fine toothed comb.  Call it a Deep Search.  The advantage is finding errors and die varieties.  This method demands specialized knowledge of what to look for and how to positively identify specific errors and varieties.

There is efficiency involved in a deep search.  In a topical search or a deep search, the coin roll hunter invests time and fuel to gather a source of coins, unwrap them, wrap them when the search is over which involves the cost of wrappers or coinstar fees, then invest more time and fuel to dispose of searched coins.  What happens in between unwrapping and wrapping those rolls is an investment of time.  I'll get the same coins as would be found in a topical search.  I'll also get coins that can only be found with a deep search.  If you can afford to hold on to those coins long enough to inspect each one, the returns can be well worth the extra attention.


If you are new to coin roll hunting, sorting will help find known varieties. If you are collecting a particular series, say, Jefferson Nickels, sorting can help you select the best specimen for a particular date so you can upgrade your set.   

Let's say you have a pile of all 1972 Memorial Cents in front of you.  Pulling up the known varieties for 1972 on Coppercoins, Wexler, and CONECA is a simple matter of getting online.  These sites let me know exactly what to look for and where to look, particularly in regards to doubled dies and RPMs.  It would be a shame to let a 1972 DDO-001 slip by.

Cents laid out for inspection with a loupe

When I go over a particular date with the loupe, I get online first to refresh my old brain. While this can be an especially handy way to achieve results when experience is limited, the narrow focus of attention means you may miss unattributed errors or varieties. Nonetheless, I am of the opinion that sorting helps one gain the experience to find select coins easily and learn what to look for. It takes more time to do the sorting, but I make up for it by being able to move from coin to coin to coin quickly during the close inspection phase. There are some dates where sorting is a must. 1988 P and D for example. I need to know the date of the coin so I can give extra attention to the designer's initials if I hope to find the elusive RDV-006.
How you search is up to you. There is no instruction manual, no "Best Way". Trial and Error have a secure place in this hobby. I suggest you try sorting and try going bareback, see which method gives you better results.

If it is in your interest to sort a heap of coins, there is a method to the madness.  While this is not THE method it is MY method and it's worked out pretty well so far. 


Current circulated coin rolls mostly contain coins from the past  50-60 years.  Wheat cent production ended in 1958 and are scarce.  Silver left production in 1964 and is in short supply.  Even older nickels have been diluted with new production which surged starting in 1964.  This gives us 6 decades with up to 3 mints and upwards of 150 different dates and mintmarks to sort.  Covering a table with 150 different piles is not practical.  Instead, I simplify matters with multiple sorts as needed.

INITIAL SORT
I break open rolls one at a time.  I've tried processing batches of rolls at a time but it creates chaos and is easy to spill across the floor.  Keep things simple.  If you are interrupted and have to stop it's a whole lot easier to pack things away without having to start over.  I open 1 roll, sort 1 coin at a time by decade:  60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s, with each in a pile of its own.  I also have 2 more piles: Picks and cull.  The picks are the coins that stand out.  These are the wheats, foreign coins, unmistakable errors or varieties, and coins that catch my eye begging for immediate attention.  Cull coins will go back without further attention.  These are damages, scratched, bent, painted, holed, screwed up or otherwise have no numismatic value.

Previously sorted by decade, these 90s are being sorted by year

  When the piles become unmanageable I take a moment to move them into ziplock bags.  I've also used cups to contain bulk sorted coins but after knocking over a bunch of them I find ziplock bags to be more agreeable.  Both are reuseable.

I have a table which I use solely for sorting and piling junk on.  This lets me walk away from sorting before I lose my mind.  I pick up several boxes at a time so sorting 20,000 cents at a sitting is not going to work.  Rather than put in a large block of time which can destroy an evening, I go through a few rolls at a time when I have a few extra moments....when the coffee machine is making a fresh pot, while dinner is in the oven, when I come in from the garden to cool off, while a video is uploading, while I'm watching a movie or some coin videos. 

SECOND SORT
The product of the initial sort is a selection of picks that are given attention soon, and ziplock bags full of coins from the same decade.  When I run out of fresh rolls, I'll repeat the process with a second sort, this time separating the decades into years 0-9.  Again, I'll pick out interesting specimens and throw the culls to the side.  Any coins from a different decade (there will be just a few) go into my pocket change can, effectively starting them over from the beginning.  Each step of the sorting process has a way forward, a way back, and a way out.  As with the initial sort, I do all this a few minutes at a time.  The whole process takes a couple hours per box.  Since I do several boxes at a time it takes a while to finish them all.  There are usually boxes, rolls, and labelled bags sitting around waiting to be sorted or inspected.  60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, 00s, 10s...60 different years, 60 ziplock bags.  These are stored in USPS Priority Mail boxes until I select a target.  The price is right.  When I have no coins to sort I spend those extra moments rolling coins to return to the bank.

1951 P, D, S

FINAL SORT
This is a process of percolation and distillation.  At each step chaos is reduced in favor of uniformity.  How far you wish to reduce the selection is up to you.  By the time I get down to year, that's good enough to take it to the loupe.  When I am ready to inspect a Year bag, they have a mix of mintmarks.  These Year bags are usually only a few pounds at most, perhaps 500 coins of the same date.  I can separate these on the inspection table. 

Having the bags distilled down to specific years gives me the ability to choose what I want to search.  The dates with easy to identify, more valuable and more marketable varieties go first.  I want those WAMs!  Gimme the 72 DDOs!.  Doubled Ear, anyone?  With 50+ bags sorted by year it can take a couple months to get through them all if I'm working one year at a time.  The more modern issues have a greater population than the earlier years and can take a few days just for a single year.  I know for a fact that I've got over $50 in 2016 waiting in the wings.  There are some dates, such as 1975, that have few varieties which are of low value .  I give these a low priority.  I'll get to them when there are enough to bother with. 

All this may seem excessive.  For my situation and lifestyle it works in my favor.  The job sometimes takes me away from home for weeks at a time or at a moments notice. 

How many coins have you seen with lathe lines?

I can stop what I'm doing at any point, pick up where I left off without missing a beat.  This method does take up some room.  Storing the bags takes up about as much space as an end table. 

This method also keeps money tied up for a while-I've got a couple hundred bucks in pennies waiting around.  The advantage is finding an astounding array of varieties and errors that can not be gleaned in a topical search.

I'm not able to say this is the best method or that it is better than what you are doing.  All I can do is explain what I am doing and how, with some tricks and tweaks thrown in to make the process more efficient and effective.  If you want to try sorting, by all means, go for it.  If it's not for you, I'm ok with that too.  As a matter of fact, any method you choose to employ I'd like to hear about it.  Maybe I can help make things easier for you and try your methods to see if they make things easier for me.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting. 

1954 S RPM

Picked up some BU rolls the other day, including 1954-S.  It only took 4 days to arrive which saved me a lot of hair.  Just got into the 54-S roll, took a good look found a few things.  The big prize was this 1954-S RPM-002.  RPM=RePunched Mintmark.  Have a look for yourself.

All these photos were taken with a VHEO Discovery VMS-004.  It does a fair job, but I desperately need to upgrade to something better.  Getting into the details it misses the mark, but there's no stopping my pride.  Colors get washed out.  This coin is on a white card.  Blue?

This is the best I can do with what I have.  Click on the image to get a larger image

The die markers are unmistakable and identify this beautiful specimen as 1954-S RPM-002.






It's important to understand there are often several varieties for the majority of the coins listed on the Cheat Sheet.  The 1954-S RPM is no exception.  Coppercoins lists 16 different RPMs for this date and mintmark.  The nomenclature used on that site gives it the designation 1954S-1MM-002.

Variety Vista lists 15 different RPMs.  This one is attributed as 1954-S RPM-002.  Variety Vista lists CONECA attributed varieties and is more widely recognized.  As a result I give their nomenclature priority.

When I list known varieties for sale I include all cross-references I can find, with the attributor and attribute.  Thus my descriptions would include: Coppercoins 1954S-1MM-002, CONECA 1954-S RPM-002.

How Much Additional Income Is Enough To Make A Difference?

While doing some research and interviewing people to gather information for another project I'm working on I asked the same question to everyone I could find.

"How much additional monthly income would you need to make a noticeable improvement in your lifestyle?"

It's a vague question without a specific answer, designed to test the waters and solicit a response.  Everyone's situation is different so there can be no right answer.  How the question is interpreted by the respondent has a lot to do with their answer.  Some of the responses were expected: "A Million Dollars" came up a few times.  Other large amounts were proposed.  One woman insisted that $10k/month in additional income was needed to noticeably improve her lifestyle, even though she was supporting 2 kids with gubmint assistance.  It may be she did not understand the question.

Statistics are out there which can help shed light on everyone's situation:  fully 50% of Americans have less than $500 in their checking account.  While median household income is around $50k/year,  1/3 of the people working earn less than $25k/year.  That's less than $500/week which tells me half the people out there are living paycheck to paycheck.  I've done that, it sucked, but when one is in such a situation it is difficult to get out of the rut.  A flat tire is enough to throw you into crisis mode.  When you are trying to raise a family a broken down vehicle means the rent is going to be late.  These people are not on the bottom.  These are hard working, responsible adults who are in a perpetual tight spot.  It does not take much to sink them.  At the same time, it does not take much to give them a boost.

After listening to people complain about their woes I came to the conclusion that as little as $50/week in additional income would be enough to make a noticeable improvement in a whole lot of lives.  More is better.  $50 will do.  This is enough to pick up groceries, fill up the gas tank, get the electric bill paid on time instead of with next week's paycheck.  With 4 weeks in a month, I'm talking $200/month.  Enough to handle something going wrong without living off ramen noodles.

There are strategies which can help you come up with a few extra bucks.  Turn out the lights, keep the air conditioning off, grow a garden, give up Starbucks, drive slower, pack a lunch...becoming more frugal is surely part of the equation.  You can pick up a part time job.  Work hard, show the boss outstanding results, a raise or promotion is possible.  Look for a better job if that's what it takes.

Rather than look for a different job, some folks put together an income project on the side.  I know people who work the flea market scene, mow lawns, cut wood, raise chickens to sell eggs, rent apartments, and fix small engines.  Some folks buy and sell coins.  These side projects let you keep the stability of your day job, can often be started with tools and equipment already on hand, and in most cases don't require a big investment.  Specialized knowledge and persistence are the key factors to their success.

Coin collectors have specialized knowledge.  They are persistent in their hobby, some having been collectors for decades.  They do what they do because they find it enjoyable.  The move from collector to small scale dealer is subtle.  Getting started is a simple matter of putting your stuff up for sale and hoping for the best.  Buy it for a good price, sell it at a fair price for a tidy profit, repeat.  Keep at it, you'll get better at finding good stuff and consistently attracting fair offers. Coin Roll Hunting is a means of obtaining stock for face value.  That's a pretty good price.  I find specimens all the time with value estimates ranging from a few cents to several bucks.  I've sold some for a tidy profit. 



If it's so easy, why isn't everyone doing it? 
Have a look around.  There are tens of thousands of people that are.  All you have to do to get started is make that first attempt.  There are some tricks to the trade which I'll talk about over time.  If you have not sold coins before you'll need to learn about things like where and how to sell effectively, taking online payments, shipping charges, good packaging practices, and preserving integrity.  With persistence, it's possible to earn an extra couple hundred bucks a month-enough that it can start to make a noticeable difference in your lifestyle.  More is possible, but how far you run with the ball is up to you.

Setting up a blog

Setting up a blog for the coin collecting/selling/searching project.  This is a bit different than other websites I've put together-never used blogger.com before.  Looks easy enough so far.

Calling it the 1 Million Pennies Project.  One objective is to search through 1,000,000 cents looking for die varieties, errors, oldies, collectibles, and whatever else I may come across that is worth talking about or tossing into a cigar box.

I'd also like to develop a side income with coin and supply sales and ad revenue.  The coin part is easy-I'll be finding the things to sell.  Supplies should be no problem, buy in bulk, sell as able.  Ad revenue demands I offer some content worthy of looking at.  I hope I don't disappoint you.

Lots of things to see and do on a coin blog.  I've been making videos about coin roll hunting.  You can take a look at my YouTube Channel: kpeavey2.  My latest video was about rolling up searched coins to take back to the bank.  Kinda boring for a lot of people, but if you found your way here on purpose you might want to take a look.

One of the most sought after bits of information people have been asking about is a Cheat Sheet: A simple listing of dates and mintmarks with varieties to look for.  I've not checked into the blog template much but I'm guessing I'll be able to update entries.

Let's see if I can add photos.  Found this earlier today: 1996 D with Lathe Lines. 

I suppose I'll have to write up an article about the thing and make a video to go with it.  People learn in different ways.  Some by reading, some by watching, some by getting their hands dirty.  If I can help teach folks what I'm doing, maybe they'll keep coming back and bring their business with them.