The
Denver Mint struck over 12 billion Lincoln cents in 1982 and 1983 combined, ensuring
that the term “scarce” would never be associated with cents bearing those
dates. However, oversights in quality control and perhaps a bit of luck have
resulted in two cents from these years that are unique and extraordinarily
desirable to Lincoln cent and error collectors.
Featured
in our August 2017 ANA Auction will be a newly discovered 1982-D Small Date
Lincoln cent–Struck on a Bronze Planchet (AU-58 BN NGC), accompanied by a similarly-unprecedented
1983-D Lincoln cent–Struck on a Bronze Planchet (AU-55 PCGS). Similar in
fabric to the legendary error cents of 1943, each of these curiosities is the
result of an obsolete bronze planchet finding its way into the striking press
in place of the new copper-plated zinc planchets that were introduced at the
Denver Mint in October 1982. While this transitional era has birthed a number
of interesting combinations of planchet and design type, bronze 1982-D Small
Date and the 1983-D cents have proven elusive over the past three decades.
Though
the bronze 1943 cents and the aluminum 1974 cents have garnered fanfare, both
of those issues are more common than the currently unique rarities from the
Denver Mint. We are delighted to be offering this monumental pairing in our
August 2017 ANA World’s Fair of Money auction — the first public offering of
either of these significant specimens.
These
coins will be appearing in our August Denver auction alongside other incredible
rarities like the Lord St. Oswald-Norweb 1794 Flowing Hair dollar (MS-64 PCGS
CAC) and the finest known 1853-O No Arrows Liberty Seated half dollar (VF-35
PCGS), the latter pedigreed to the Garrett Collection. Contact us today at
1-800-458-4646 or email info@StacksBowers.com to secure your copy of this
exciting catalog.
