Coin Key Dates

Key Dates Cheat Sheet Morgan Dollars Peace Dollars Mercury Dimes
Disclaimer: The information provided here is for educational purposes only and should not be considered professional advice. We discuss various aspects of coin collecting, including key dates, tips on collecting, storing, maintaining, and spotting fakes. Please consult with experienced collectors or professionals before making any significant decisions. Coin collecting involves risks, and market values can fluctuate. We have an interest in numismatic items and related products and we sell coins, bullion, and bills.

The goal of this page is to provide a quick reference for when you're sorting through stacks of coins. Lets us know your thoughts as we welcome your feedback and would always like to make this page (or others) more useful.

U.S. Coinage Quick Reference

Pennies

Types

  • Lincoln Wheat Cents (1909–1958)
    95% copper, 5% tin/zinc
  • Lincoln Memorial Cents (1959–2008)
    1959–1982: ~95% copper, 5% tin/zinc (3.11 g)
    Mid-1982–2008: Copper-plated zinc (2.5 g).
  • Lincoln Shield Cents (2010–Present)
    Copper-plated zinc (2.5 g)

Key Dates

  • 1909-S VDB — designer's initials, very low mintage (~484k)
  • 1909-S — scarce first-year San Francisco issue
  • 1914-D — classic low-mintage Denver key
  • 1922 "No D" (Plain) — worn die; only Denver struck cents that year
  • 1931-S — Depression-era low mintage (~866k)

Semi-Key Dates

  • 1909 VDB (Philadelphia)
  • 1911-S, 1912-S, 1913-S, 1914-S, 1915-S
  • 1924-D, 1926-S, 1933-D

Notable Varieties & Errors

  • 1955 Doubled Die Obverse — dramatic, famous doubling
  • 1972 Doubled Die Obverse
  • 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse — rare and valuable
  • 1943 Copper — off-metal error (most '43s are steel)
  • 1944 Steel — off-metal error (most '44s are copper)
Metal Change

1943: zinc-coated steel cents (WWII copper conservation). Mid-1982: 95% copper (3.11 g) → copper-plated zinc (2.5 g) — weight is the quick tell.

Nickels

Types

  • Shield Nickels (1866–1883)
    75% copper, 25% nickel (5.0 g)
  • Liberty Head "V" Nickels (1883–1913)
    75% copper, 25% nickel (5.0 g)
  • Buffalo (Indian Head) Nickels (1913–1938)
    75% copper, 25% nickel (5.0 g)
  • Jefferson Nickels (1938–Present)
    75% copper, 25% nickel (5.0 g)
    Wartime "Silver" Nickels (mid-1942–1945): 56% copper, 35% silver, 9% manganese

Key Dates

  • 1913-S Type 2 — scarce Buffalo variety (recessed mound)
  • 1921-S — low-mintage Buffalo key
  • 1924-S, 1926-S — tough San Francisco Buffalos
  • 1939-D — low-mintage Jefferson key
  • 1950-D — lowest-mintage circulating Jefferson (~2.6M)

Semi-Key Dates

  • Buffalo: 1914-D, 1915-S, 1917-S, 1919-S, 1920-S, 1923-S, 1924-D, 1925-S, 1927-S
  • Jefferson: 1938-D, 1938-S, 1939-S

Notable Varieties & Errors

  • 1937-D "3-Legged" Buffalo — over-polished die removed a leg; highly sought
  • 1918/7-D Overdate (Buffalo) — major rarity
  • 1916 Doubled Die Obverse (Buffalo)
Metal Change

Wartime "silver" nickels — mid-1942 through 1945: 35% silver, identified by the large mintmark (P, D, or S) above Monticello on the reverse. All other nickels are 75% copper / 25% nickel with no silver.

Dimes

Types

  • Barber Dimes (1892–1916)
    90% silver, 10% copper (2.5 g)
  • Mercury (Winged Liberty) Dimes (1916–1945)
    90% silver, 10% copper (2.5 g)
  • Roosevelt Dimes (1946–Present)
    1946–1964: 90% silver, 10% copper (2.5 g)
    1965–Present: Copper-nickel clad (2.27 g)

Key Dates

  • 1916-D — the famous Mercury key (~264k minted)
  • 1921, 1921-D — low-mintage Mercury keys
  • 1949-S — semi-key Roosevelt, tough in high grade
  • 1996-W — West Point issue, only in mint sets

Semi-Key Dates

  • Mercury: 1926-S, 1931-D, 1931-S

Notable Varieties & Errors

  • 1942/1 Overdate (Mercury) — strong, visible overdate
  • 1942/1-D Overdate (Mercury)
  • 1945 Micro S (Mercury) — tiny mintmark variety
Metal Change

1964 & earlier = 90% silver (constitutional / "junk" silver). 1965–present = copper-nickel clad. The silver/clad cutoff is the single most important date to sort by — silver dimes have a solid edge; clad dimes show a copper stripe.

Quarters

Types

  • Barber Quarters (1892–1916)
    90% silver, 10% copper (6.25 g)
  • Standing Liberty Quarters (1916–1930)
    90% silver, 10% copper (6.25 g)
  • Washington Quarters (1932–Present)
    1932–1964: 90% silver, 10% copper (6.25 g)
    1965–Present: Copper-nickel clad (5.67 g)

Key Dates

  • 1932-D — first-year Denver Washington key (~436k)
  • 1932-S — first-year San Francisco key (~408k)

Semi-Key Dates

  • 1936-D, 1937-S, 1939-S, 1940-D, 1955-D

Notable Varieties & Errors

  • 1934 Doubled Die Obverse (Washington)
  • 1943-S Doubled Die Obverse (Washington)
Metal Change

1964 & earlier = 90% silver (constitutional silver). 1965–present = copper-nickel clad. 1976 Bicentennial quarters also exist in 40% silver (collector sets only).

Half Dollars

Types

  • Barber Half Dollars (1892–1915)
    90% silver, 10% copper (12.5 g)
  • Walking Liberty Half Dollars (1916–1947)
    90% silver, 10% copper (12.5 g)
  • Franklin Half Dollars (1948–1963)
    90% silver, 10% copper (12.5 g)
  • Kennedy Half Dollars (1964–Present)
    1964: 90% silver, 10% copper (12.5 g)
    1965–1970: 40% silver clad (11.5 g)
    1971–Present: Copper-nickel clad (11.34 g)

Key Dates

  • 1916, 1916-S — first-year Walking Liberty keys
  • 1921, 1921-D, 1921-S — low-mintage Walkers
  • 1938-D — scarce Denver Walker (~491k)
  • 1949-S — classic Franklin key by mintage (~3.74M)
  • 1955-P — lowest-mintage Franklin (~2.5M)

Semi-Key Dates

  • Walking Liberty: 1919, 1919-D, 1919-S, 1920-D, 1923-S, 1927-S, 1928-S, 1933-S
  • Franklin: 1948, 1953-P (low Philadelphia mintages); 1953-S — famous condition rarity with Full Bell Lines

Notable Varieties & Errors

  • 1917-D / 1917-S — obverse-vs-reverse mintmark varieties (Walking Liberty)
  • 1942 Doubled Die Reverse (Walking Liberty)
  • 1955 "Bugs Bunny" (Franklin) — die clash gives Franklin buck teeth
Metal Change

Three tiers — check the date carefully: 1964 = 90% silver. 1965–1970 = 40% silver clad. 1971–present = copper-nickel clad (no silver). Unlike dimes and quarters, half dollars stayed partly silver through 1970.

Dollars

Types

  • Morgan Dollars (1878–1904, 1921)
    90% silver, 10% copper (26.73 g)
  • Peace Dollars (1921–1935)
    90% silver, 10% copper (26.73 g)
  • Eisenhower Dollars (1971–1978)
    Circulation: Copper-nickel clad (22.68 g)
    Collector issues: 40% silver clad (24.59 g)
  • Susan B. Anthony Dollars (1979–1981, 1999)
    Copper-nickel clad (8.1 g)
  • Sacagawea / Native American & Presidential Dollars (2000–Present)
    Manganese-brass clad (8.1 g)

Key Dates

  • 1889-CC — premier Carson City Morgan key
  • 1893-S — lowest-mintage circulating Morgan (~100k)
  • 1894, 1895-O, 1895-S, 1903-O — major Morgan keys
  • 1895 — Proof-only "King of Morgans"
  • 1928, 1934-S — top Peace dollar keys

Semi-Key Dates

  • Morgan: 1879-CC, 1881-CC, 1885-CC, 1892-S, 1893, 1893-O, 1894-O
  • Peace: 1921 (high relief), 1924-S, 1925-S, 1927-D, 1927-S, 1928-S

Notable Varieties & Errors

  • 1878 7/8 Tail Feathers (Morgan) — feather-count variety
  • 1888-O "Hot Lips" Doubled Die Obverse (Morgan)
  • 1900-O/CC (Morgan) — mintmark overpunch
Metal Change

Morgan & Peace dollars are 90% silver throughout (no clad cutoff). Carson City (-CC) issues carry strong collector premiums. Later Eisenhower dollars had 40% silver collector issues vs. copper-nickel clad circulation strikes.

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