1912 D Lincoln Cent

1912-D cents are not rare, but finding one having a sharp strike from fresh dies will be quite challenging. The typical Mint State survivor reveals peripheral die erosion or a weakening of Lincoln's lapel from overpolishing of the die to remove such erosion furrows.

One of the oddities of copper or bronze coinage is that poorly struck pieces tend to retain their mint red color more readily than sharp coins. The latter are almost routinely found brown or, at best, red and brown. This is certainly the case for this issue. Examples in the higher circulated grades are likewise scarce and are affected by the same strike considerations.