Coin grading agencies take the color of copper coins into account when assessing and valuing them. Coins that are at least 95 per cent red across both faces are graded “red”. You may see the abbreviation “RD” in coin listings. Indeed the only coins that contained silver were the Kennedy half dollars from 1965 to 1970, but their composition was not too pure either. They included only 40% silver. Thus, the U.S. Mint devised the SMS (Special Mint Sets) from 1965 to 1967 to eliminate the shortage of circulating coins. What does a coin collector look for in the first place? The mint mark. Therefore, to discourage the public from hoarding coins, the Mint issued all Mint Special Set coins from 1965 to 1967 without any mint mark.

To preserve the actual patina of our coins, it is important to keep them in a stable and controlled place. That is why certified capsules are a wonderful option both for this and for knowing the grade as we will see below. A little history about the 1964 Lincoln cent The top of the coin has the country name, also following the curve of the edge. Beneath it, written on the horizontal, is the Latin motto “E pluribus unum”. The words mean “From the many, one” and honor the creation of the USA from the individual states. Other Features of the 1964 Penny If your coin is a bright red color, it will be more valuable than brown or red and brown examples. The most valuable coins have no wear or scratches at all, or only the most trivial flaws. The 1964 penny has the same dimensions and composition as most of the earlier Lincoln Wheat pennies. It measures precisely 19 millimeters across and weighs 3.11 grams. And it’s made of 95 per cent copper and 5 per cent zinc.Satin finish: The surface of a 1964 SMS penny will have a matte-like finish, with less shine than a regular penny. This is due to a special sandblasting process used during production. Percy Metcalfe, CVO, RDI, was an English artist sculptor and designer. He is recognised mostly for his coin designs and his contribution to the Ashtead Pottery Collection. All other things being equal, the most valuable copper coins are those graded red. Next in line are red and brown, with brown being the least valuable. This type of coin is very abundant, with a mintage of over 6.4 billion coins. In addition, there are two mint marks for their manufacture, a typical factor that distinguishes American coins in price, so one must look at other differences to determine a higher or lower value.

is a year noted for its poor penny mintages, which is why certain errors stand out from other years.The 1964 penny is what’s known as a Lincoln penny. These were first issued in 1909, and continue to be produced to this day.