PROOF tracking - all coins except halves

[spacemanX]

2000s penny last night

[plus1hdcp]

how do you know if you find a proof?

Okay, let's see... Coins from San Fransisco (S-mint) are often proofs. But not all S coins are proofs, AND not all proofs have an S mintmark. Clear as mud? Okay. Let's proceed.

From the original post in this thread: "while the S mint mark generally means a proof strike, the following (recent) S-mint coins were minted for general circulation, and are most likely NOT proofs: 1968-1974 cents, 1968-1970 nickels, 1979-1981 dollars."

CENTS: SF made circulation strike Lincoln cents with an S until 1955, then again from 1968-74. Proof strikes were plain from 1950-64, then started including the S in 1968. But anything dated 1975 or later with an S is most certainly a proof, because SF didn't make circulation strikes any more.

NICKELS: SF made circulation strike Jefferson S nickels until 1954, then again from 1968-70. Proof strikes were plain from 1938-64 then started including the S in 1968. But anything dated 1971 or later with an S is most certainly a proof; same reasoning as before.

DIMES: SF made circulation strike Roosevelt S dimes until 1955. Proof strikes were plain from 1950-64 then started including the S in 1968. So anything dated 1968 or later with an S is most certainly a proof.

QUARTERS: Same basic idea. Circulation strike S until 1954. Proofs plain until 1964. S were proof-only starting 1968.

HALVES: For Kennedy, 1964 proof was plain. 1968 and following proof had S. Anything with an S is a proof.

DOLLARS: for Susan B Anthony dollars, S-mint coins were issued for both proof and circulation from 1979-81. Any Sacagawea or Presidential dollar with an S is a proof.

Any better? Another answer is this: if it's got a mirror-like finish, you should take note, as it might be a proof.

Great explaination, I printed this out and sent to my dad. I never have been able to explain it to him so I hope your words will make sense to him.

[Franco American]

1991S Nickel in $100 Brinks box

[Franco American]

1982S nickel in $100 Brinks box

[hobo finds]

How do you think these proofs get out there? Someone desperate, opening up a proof set selling the silver and spending the clad? I worked at a hotel and one of those gold / silver buyers were in house buying for about a week, they told us not to go into the meeting room at al,l unless we were called to get them something. When they moved out there were lots of broken mint sets laying around. We searched for coins found none.

[scyther]

2000-S penny in a $50 bag today. First proof that I know of after hand-sorting almost 200,000 pennies, although I haven't been looking for them, and don't generally check mint marks in a any case.

[Franco American]

2003S Penny found in a $25 Brinks box

[uthminsta]

How do you think these proofs get out there? Someone desperate, opening up a proof set selling the silver and spending the clad? I worked at a hotel and one of those gold / silver buyers were in house buying for about a week, they told us not to go into the meeting room at al,l unless we were called to get them something. When they moved out there were lots of broken mint sets laying around. We searched for coins found none.

Probably. I once saw a broken proof set case lying next to the road. I wondered if they might have discarded the penny but no... they even kept that. When you need money, you need money. Or, more likely, when you steal money, and you've already been caught by the local coin shop after bringing stolen coins in before...

[Franco American]

1981S Type 1 Proof Nickel in $100 Brinks box

[algae21]

Just found a 1992 S cent in a CWR.

[Bigsarge]

$50 Penny bank bag - 1981S

[John Reich]

1990-S nickle in a cwr. First one I've found in a while!

[knibloe]

Teller held a 1995 nickel for me. He had it reserved in a little manilla envelope for when I came in. The trouble is, she is changing jobs to go work for an insurance agency. That is two head tellers in less than a year. I sure hope the new one lets me keep ordering my halves. Oh please, oh please, oh please!!!

[WileE]

1973S cent

[TwoAndAHalfCents]

1973-S proof cent in what appears to be someones copper hoard that had been dumped

[scyther]

1974 S and 1984 S in the last box of nickels.

[Franco American]

1969S Nickel in a Brinks box

[sparechange]

1989S nickel from $100 box

[db23]

1989S proof cent in my change from McDonalds while getting my morning coffee.

[sparechange]

1997S nickel from $100 Box

[cooyon]

1980-S cent in a BWR

[cooyon]

1990-S nickel from $100 box

2010-S nickel from CWR

[sparechange]

$100 box
1990s Nickel

$100 box
1980s Nickel

[spacemanX]

25$ brinks
2008s penny not too great looking, but still a proof

[RichardPenny43]

1969 S proof cent