1900 1c PR BN

1900 Cent Production: A record number of cents was produced this year, although this is one of the lower-mintage dates of the 1900’s. Mint Director George E. Roberts began to call for the striking of Indian Head cents at the branch mints of San Francisco and New Orleans.

Survivability: These were not saved from circulation early on, and most examples are well circulated. Enough are available to satisfy collector demand in all grades except MS-65RD and higher.

Collecting Challenges: Select eye-appealing coins with few problems.

Collecting Circulated Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for circulated coins is AU-50 to MS-63RB. There is no particular diffculty in finding this date in an attractive grade.

Collecting Mint State Pieces: The optimal collecting grade for Mint State coins is MS-65RD. This date is very hard to find in gem condition, at least in relation to other dates in the 1900’s.

Collecting Proof Issues: These are about as readily available as other dates in the era. This is a popular date to collect as part of a turn-of-the-century Proof set. Gem full red examples are scarce, but only in the context of some of the more common dates of the 1880’s. Cameos are available, although few have graded as such.

There are 23 collectible varieties. Most are minor repunched dates. Three examples of this date are known struck in gold, and at least one example in silver. The reason for the existence of these coins is a mystery. The gold examples weigh 4.26 to 4.35 grams, which is slightly more than the offcial 4.18-gram weight of a quarter eagle planchet, so they are probably not accidental o"-metal errors. Both the silver and gold examples are struck from the same dies, with light roughness on the reverse die, probably from die rust. These were likely struck outside the knowledge of Mint offcers. When they show up in auctions they always generate extremely high interest.

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