It’s amazing the stories I read, and the emails I receive, from people who find mint errors and varieties in their pocket change or just by obtaining and searching rolls from the bank. Most of these errors don’t have a lot of value, but some do.

However, three members of my forum just discoverd three knew varieties this week, a 2009 Quarter error, and two 2009 Lincoln Cent double dies, read about them here 2009 Lincoln Cent DDO and 2009 State Quarter.

It’s a great past time, and you can even include family members, searching through bank rolls that cost face value. If you don’t find anything, you don’t lose anything. If you think you found something, you can post a pic on our forum and we will help you with identification.

Warning: I don’t recommend buying rolls, bags or collections at ebay or any other auction site. Just drop by your local bank and asked for rolls of coins in any denomination you want, or buy rolls from the U.S. Mint.

Here’s a list of Lincoln Cent Varieties to help you learn what to look for, and the most exciting part is that you can start this for just a few dollars, but it doesn’t cost you anything!

Cherry Picker's List:

Varieties-Errors-Key and Semi-Key Dates:
1909-S VDB                       
1909-S                                
1909-S Over horizontal S  
1911-S
1911-D Over D (RPM)                               
1914-D                              
1914-S                                
1917-P Doubled Die Obverse       
1922 No D                                                  
1931-S
1936 Double Die Obverse                                
1944 D/S Variety 1             
1944 D/S Variety 2             
1946 S/D                             
1955 Double die                
1970-S Doubled die
1936 Double die obverse, the date, LIBERTY and IN GOD WE TRUST has some doubling.
1941 Double die reverse: Doubling of the date and LIBERTY.
1943-D  The D is stamped over another D (RPM).
1943-P  Should be a steel cent but there are reports of some struck using copper.
1944-D  D over S the mint mark D is stamped over the S.
1946-S  S Mint mark stamped over a D mint mark.
1955-D Stamped over a horizontal D.
1955-P  No VDB.
1955-P  Lincoln Wheat Cent Double Die cent.
1956-D D Stamped over a D mint mark.
1958-P  Double die obverse.
1959-D First year for Memorial reverse, check for wheat reverse.
1960-D D over D RPM
1960-P  Look for Small Date variety, the 6 has a shorter stem than normal.
1963-D Check to see if the 3 in the date is struck over another 3.
1968-D D mint mark stamped over another D.
1968-D Double die reverse, strong doubling in the word AMERICA.
1969-S  Lincoln Memorial double die, all design features strongly doubled.
1970-S  Small date Lincoln Cent with a doubled die reverse, strong doubling of TRUST & LIBERTY.
1970-S  Small Date high 7.
1970-S  Level 7. The 7 is level with rest of date.
1971-P  Double die obverse, strong doubling on LIBERTY & IN GOD WE TRUST.
1972-P  Lincoln Memorial Cent with a doubled date.
1973-P  No V.D.B.
1980-D A shadow of an S mint mark struck above the D.
1982-P  Doubling of IN GOD WE TRUST.
1983-P  Doubled die reverse doubled, IN GOD WE TRUST doubled.
1984-P  Doubled ear, look at the ear lobe.
1984-D  Doubled Date.
1989-P  No VDB.
1988 DDO Ear Lobe
1994-P  Doubling of the last three columns on reverse.
1995-P  Double die, LIBERTY doubled.
1995-D Double die obverse, strong doubling of the date and LIBERTY.
1997-P  Double Die, look at the ear lobe like the 1984.
1998-P Wide AM reverse Lincoln Memorial Cent.
1999-P Wide AM reverse Lincoln Memorial Cent.
1999-P There may be double dies varieties.
2000-P Wide AM in America.
2003-P May be doubling of the steps, experts say “yes”, mint says “no”.
2006-P Double Die Obverse
2009   Look for doubling of the thumb