Despite its relatively low mintage, the 1933(P) cent is fairly common in Mint State. Most were not released at the time of coining and later fell into the hands of speculators when they were released a year or two later.
Fully red gems are plentiful, though precious few qualify for the highest grades sought by registry collectors. Most survivors are well struck, though a few will show some moderate die erosion. This issue was always somewhat scarce in circulation, but the availablity of so many Mint State coins holds their values in check.
It's likely that the Philadelphia Mint could have skipped cent production altogether in 1933, but it did its best to keep its skilled staff employed until better times arrived. In his book The Complete Guide to Lincoln Cents, David W. Lange observed that "the 1933 issue was coined in small batches spread out over many months. Clearly...this was a coinage of convenience rather than necessity."
Mintage:
| Philadelphia | Denver |
| 14,360,000 | 6,200,000 |
Cents
