1918-S Lincoln Cent : History & Value

By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
 

After eight years of low mintages, San Francisco had a break-out yr for cent manufacturing in 1916 with a mintage of greater than 22 million cash. In 1917, the San Francisco Mint struck 32,620,000 cents, and for the 1918-S Lincoln Cent, the Mint reported a mintage of 34,680,000 cash. Whereas nonetheless “early” dates insofar as chronology dictates, the elusiveness of the previous low-mintage points doesn’t govern the supply of S-Mint cents of the late 1910s.

The recognition of penny boards within the Nineteen Thirties and the explosion in curiosity in coin gathering within the late ’50s and early ’60s meant that many lower-grade 1918-S Lincoln Cents have been pulled out of circulation and saved. The long-term implications of this hoarding meant that in 2024, the 1918-S stays inexpensive, with Very Advantageous examples promoting for about $3 to $5 on eBay. In Additional Advantageous, buying an instance can price as little as $15 to $20, even for examples in licensed holders.

Mint State cash are much less incessantly encountered and are available three attributed classes: Brown or “B” (for cash which have misplaced all of their authentic pink colour), Purple Brown or “RB” (for cash that retain some or a lot of their pink colour however are turning brown), and Purple or “R” (for cash that retain almost all of their authentic pink colour, even whether it is muted). 1918-S Lincoln Cents in Purple, particularly on the Gem degree, are uncommon. Stewart Blay, probably the most notable Lincoln Wheat Cent collector of his era, may solely supply his instance in PCGS MS65+RD, which is the present most interesting grade.

Strike high quality varies for this challenge; each well-struck and mushy cash exist. The 1918-S Lincoln Cent is usually imbued with a finer character than the 1918-D Lincoln Cent, however neither challenge comes as good as a well-struck 1918 Lincoln Cent from the Philadelphia Mint.

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Market Knowledge and Noteworthy Specimens

Prime Inhabitants: PCGS MS65+RD (3, 11/2024), NGC MS65RD (6, 11/2024), and CAC MS65RD (4:0 stickered:graded, 11/2024).

• PCGS MS65+RD CAC #04646322: “Stewart Blay’s Purple Copper Assortment of Lincoln Cents,” GreatCollections, January 15, 2023, Lot 1272837 – $32,635.12.
• PCGS MS65+RD #37254482: GreatCollections, August 4, 2019, Lot 669944 – $15,750.
• PCGS MS65RD #01383407: “The Bender Household Assortment,” Heritage Auctions, Might 4, 2023, Lot 3589 – $9,600. Scattered darkish spots on the correct obverse periphery.
• PCGS MS65RD #38687089: GreatCollections, December 12, 2021, Lot 1079385 – $3,937.50.
• PCGS MS65RD #42114731: As PCGS MS65RD #03719135: Heritage Auctions, January 4, 2006, Lot 187 – $21,850. Joshua and Ally Walsh on insert, verdigris at 4 o’clock on obverse; Heritage Auctions, December 4, 2008, Lot 168 – $11,500. Re-holdered with similar certification quantity, Jack Lee on insert; As PCGS MS65RD #84289354: GreatCollections, March 14, 2021, Lot 950269 – $4,361.62. Re-holdered with a brand new certification quantity, Jack Lee on insert; Present Certification quantity: GreatCollections, August 15, 2021, Lot 1013260 – $4,123.12. Lee pedigree faraway from insert.
• PCGS MS65RD CAC #06564053: As PCGS MS65RD CAC #6564053: “The Dr. and Mrs. Duckor Assortment of Lincoln Cents,” Heritage Auctions, April 23, 2020, Lot 3102 – $6,000; “Bender Household Assortment, Half I,” Heritage Auctions, August 24, 2022, Lot 3678 – $8,700. Bender Assortment on insert.
• PCGS MS65RD #3438667: Stack’s Bowers, November 14, 2019, Lot 1141 – $3,120.
• PCGS MS65RD #30018766: GreatCollections, Might 19, 2019, Lot 705370 – $5,062.50. Purple is mellowing.
• PCGS MS65RD #36495243: GreatCollections, January 20, 2019, Lot 665347 – $4,331.25.
• PCGS MS65RD #21399626: “Anne Kate Assortment,” Stack’s Bowers, August 15, 2018, Lot 504 –  $4,560; Stack’s Bowers, November 1, 2018, Lot 91046 – $4,080.
• PCGS MS65RD #35692969: Heritage Auctions, July 12, 2018, Lot 3029 – $8,400.
• PCGS MS65RD #50250746: “ESM Assortment,” Stack’s Bowers, March 22, 2018, Lot 2033 – $6,000.
• PCGS MS65RD #83780501: GreatCollections, June 18, 2017, Lot 450373 – $7,152.20. Carbon spot on N on the obverse.
• NGC MS65RD #379994-010: Heritage Auctions, January 7, 2009, Lot 468 – $3,335. LI and IN on obverse weakly struck. Splotchy reverse.

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Coin Specs

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