The strike varies widely. Both mushy and well struck pieces are common; the former are often semi-proof like. One of the peculiarities of this and other coin types is that the most fully struck examples have just so-so luster, while the most dazzling pieces are usually a bit soft in places. When the dies were not set closely enough, the result was often a coin with ill-defined high points but brilliant, very smooth surfaces. What one is seeing in such coins is the original surface of the unstruck planchets. These were cleaned and buffed to a bright finish that was typically altered by the compression of the dies. Where the dies failed to fully compress that surface, the coin retained the planchet’s distinctive quality.
Varieties:A 1914/3 over-date is the most desirable variety for this date, though it’s challenging to detect.
Mintage:
| Philadelphia | Denver | San Francisco |
| 20,664,463 | 3,912,000 | 3,470,000 |
Cents
