In 1962 collecting Lincoln one cent pieces from circulation was very popular. Living on the east coast, you found a lot of Philadelphia and some Denver minted cents, but very few San Francisco minted cents. You could find 1920's and 1930's Philadelphia Lincolns in circulation, but not D&S.  One day I was in the hobby store and there was a glass case with coins for sale. There were silver dollars, half dollars, quarters, and one cent pieces. As I looked over the Lincoln cents, I noticed a 1910 S for $3.25. Since that was one of the lower priced coins in the case it caught my attention. After some talking with the owner, we came to an agreement that I could put a dollar down and stop in every week and put some money on it until I paid it off. It only took two weeks until it was mine because I earned money by returning empty soda bottles to the store for their deposit and two weeks allowance. That seemed like a lot of money to pay for a coin then.

 In March of 1888 there was a blizzard that dumped 40-50 inches of snow with drifting 25-40 feet high. As I look through my Liberty Nickels, I can imagine some of the happenings of the years of the coins in this set. Most are well worn and that is because nickels were used alot. I am sure my Liberty Nickels were touched by thousands or millions of people. One can only imagine the journey that they have been on and the things they purchased. That is what makes the collection interesting, the double dip ice cream cone or the nickel cigar were purchased with these very nickels. Phone calls, candy, beer, soda, newspapers and more with all purchased with these nickels. These nickels were used to buy things well into the 1940's because my dad got them in his change even into the 1950's. So when you look at your collections think of all the places your coins have been.

 Memorial Day was started to honor those who died in the Civil War. It was officially observed on May 5,1868 when flowers were place on the graves at Arlington National Cemetery. I wonder if today most people think of it as the start of summer and sales at their favorite stores. I am so proud of those who have died to protect this freedom we have in the great country. I remember our family enjoying the parade and attending services at the cemetery on Memorial Day. I have pictured my American Silver Eagle Dollar in my flag holder. This serves as a remembrance for those who have served and died to protect my freedom in this great land that I love. I encourge you to find something to help you do the same. God Bless America, the land that I love. 

  According to the poll, there are some 2009 Lincoln Log Cabin cents circulating. A co-worker's wife works at Giant, local grocery store, and has received some. The customer told her that corporate banks have them and distribute them. I think that they should circulate because they can be used to tell the great story of a great President. On May 14, 2009 the "Formative Years" Lincoln cent was available from the US MInt but will not be shipped until 7-13-09. It looks like they will be in great demand as well as all of the commemorative Lincoln cents. The 4th 2009 design "Lincoln's Presidency" might not be available until 2010. Happy Collecting! :)

2009 Lincoln Log Cabin Reverse Cent

 I have received two rolls of the 2009 Lincoln cents, one minted in Philadelphia and the other minted in Denver. I had to purchase them because the US Mint did not release them to the Federal Reserve to distribute to banks, as told to me by two different bank tellers. Only 634 million minted in the first three months of this year and three other reverses to mint, I thought I better get some. Most of these coins will be saved as keepsakes and some will hoard rolls in hopes of profit, but the history of this activity proves otherwise. It is far better to share them with others and help raise interest in a wonderful hobby. One thing I will do is encase sets of the 2009 Lincoln cents for my grandchildren and share them with others that are interested in having them.

I was thinking about how many Lincoln Memorial cents were made since 1959. So I googled "mintage US coins". The numbers are very large, like light years large, or the universe large, well maybe not that large. I did some quick math and about 412 billion or 412,000,000,000 cents or about $ 4,120,000,000. So in numbers the power of the penny is great. The year 1982 is top dog  with 16,725,504,368 from Philadelphia and Denver mints. The lightweight is 1965 weighing in at 1,497,224,900 mintage from all mints, there was no mint marks that year. I noticed that since 2002 the mintages have been between 5-8 billion per year, which is less then the previous years. This year should have a big demand for the Lincoln cents. There will be 4 different reverses. Maybe that is why you have to pay a premium price to get them. I ask if the bank is going to get any new 2009 Lincoln cents, and I was told that they can not get them from the Federal Reserve and I would have to purchase them from the US Mint. I checked the US mint web-site and they have made 536,800,000 for Jan. and Feb. They are not shipping any Lincoln cents until Apr.4, 2009 to customers. I think they will produce alot more because there will be a big demand for them.

Years ago my Dad would get Flying eagle and Indian Head cents in his change. So many in fact, that he started a collection. He never got a 1856, but he did get 1857, 1858 Large and Small Letters! He found a 1859-1865, 1867-68, 1873-76, 1879-1909, but no 08S or 09S. Some were worn but some were EF-AU. This wasn't 1920 or 1930 but 1938 into the 50's! He did handle lots of change being in sales. People had these coins in their pockets, change purses, drawers, jars, and laying around their houses!  I purchased coins to finish the set, except 1856, but is the 1856 really needed to have a complete set? The 1856 wasn't a regular mint issue. It was made as a pattern and proof coin. Some got into circulation, but that wasn't what they were made for. My album does not have a spot for a 1856 cent. I think the collection is complete. What do you think about it?

One hundred years ago our US coins started to change. First the cent from Indian Head to Lincoln. The Lincoln cent had a reverse change in 1959. Now the Linclon cent will have another reverse change, four changes, and next year more? The nickel changed in 1938 from the Buffalo to Jefferson and in 2004-06 more changes. The quarter changed in 1932 then in 1999 has reverse changes five and now six times a year! Dollars change 4 times a year and we have 2 types. The dime changed in 1946. Same old design 63 years. The half-dollar change in 1964, same design 45 years old. Half dollars are only colletor coins. Shouldn't the mint want to generate interest in these to forgotten series? How about a Vice-Presidential Half Dollar series? Yea, I know that the Presidential dollar series is to generate dollar coin use, but as long as there are one dollar bills, people will use them instead of coins. I would like to see the dime change, maybe Vice-Presidential dimes. Some kind of change is in order.

 Some of the things I have collected over the years are bottle caps, football cards, baseball cards, Mad magazines, model cars, stamps, coins, but I would like to consider why I chose coins over all others to keep collecting.                 I received a very nice stamp book for Christmas, one that had a picture of a stamp and information about the stamp. You would then place the stamp in the book. I had a large envelope full of stamps that could be placed into the album. I found a few more stamps from the mail coming into the house. As time past I just seemed to lose interest in the collection. There was not enough others that I knew to keep my interest in stamps. I look at stamps today and see that some have great eye appeal but I know nothing about them. 

 My dad and I collected coins, so there was always a shared interest to kept me going, but as got to be more independent I spent less time with my hobby.There was several years that I did not even look at my coins, but my dad kept my collections. As my children needed less of my attention, I started to think once again about a hobby.   I thought maybe I would do something  with wood or refinishing furniture and I did for several years. Then I was talking to dad and he gave my coins  and the interest came alive again. I love the history  and beauty of coins. Plus there is plenty available in pocket change. It is also easy to collect sets: Lincoln and Indain cents, Jefferson and Buffalo nickels, Roosevelt and Mercury dimes,etc. The US Mint offers proof sets and other coins. It just seems to be easy to understand what you want in a set.       I'm sure stamps offer the same, but where do you begin to learn, there seems to be so many different kinds and I can't see a connection. Can someone give me a little help? I'm curious.                             

 As a young teen collecting coins from circulation, the only time I saw mint state coins were the brand new coins that were from the bank. One day my dad and I went to visit a friend of his (he must have known that they had coin collections) and they had a complete Lincoln cent collection in a Harco album(clear pages with clear slides). This set had mostly mint state coins, then they showed me the Buffalo nickels, Jefferson nickels, Mercury dimes, Roosevelt dimes, Washington quarters. I was impressed with the beautiful sets.  They also showed me a 1964 Proof Set. This was the first time I ever saw a Proof coin. They were very eye catching. I left from that visit with a whole new appreciation of numismatics.  Uncirculated coins have  great beauty and circulated ones have the beauty of purchase history.

As a boy my Lincoln Head Cent Whitman folder was my first collection. It was the number two, starting 1941, that was my first folder. It only took a very short time to fill this folder and I had a bunch of pre-1941! When I got my number one, 1909-1940, I soon saw that there was alot of empty holes. What a surprise, I thought I had alot of pre-1941 Lincoln cents. I had most of the Philadelphia, but the Denver and the San Francisco were missing.  As time passed, it seemed that this collection was at a stand still. Then my dad give me a 1910 S, I think he bought it for me and it wasn't even my birthday! I was very happy boy because I had no D or S mint marks on the first page. I worked for years on that set and bought an album with plastic slides, a much better way to store your coin. More on my Lincoln collection later. 

 I like Ike dollars. The silver clad dollars are especially beautiful. I read that President Eisenhower, who was a general and then was elected President, tried to run his office like he did as a general. As a general, he would give orders and expect them to be done but as President, he had to deal with the two houses of Congress. What a pain in the butt!! So he decided to go golfing. Can't blame him for that. You got to like Ike for that one. I remember my dad collecting Ike dollars, he like Ike, too. Maybe that is why I like Ike dollars, sons want to be like dad.

Are Roosevelt dimes as desirable as Mercury dimes? I think not. It was some time since I looked at my Roosevelt dime collection. I noticed some toning starting to appear on these little beauties. I then opened my Mercury dime collection and noticed that they have a different appeal. The Roosevelts are uncirculated with different shades of toning. I began to see beauty in these coins that I missed before. So I can enjoy them in a different way then my Mercs and thereby enrich my pleasure, too. I love finding new ways to joy my hobby. I hope you can too.