NGC Universal ID: 22BH

Though not the lowest mintage issue in the Lincoln Cent series (both 1909-S V.D.B. and 1931-S are lower), the 1,193,000 cents coined at Denver in 1914 have the smallest surviving population. The other two dates were targeted by speculators and thus survive in disproportionately high numbers, while 1914-D cents flew under the radar until the opportunity to save them was all but lost.

Most surviving Mint State examples of this date are probably from a hoard of 700 pieces mentioned by Walter Breen and still in existence through the early 1950s. Others are from two rolls of spotted red and brown pieces that was discovered in Hawaii or the Philippines during the 1970s, according to a first-hand account by Dave Bowers.

Though sharply struck 1914-D cents are found, most have moderate die erosion and loss of detail, the lapel of Lincoln’s coat being a shallow feature of the design often lost to severe die polishing.

This rarity is often faked by adding a D mintmark to Philadlephia coins or by shaving down the first 4 on 1944-D cents. Both alterations are easilty detected. The D mintmark on 1914-D cents was not used after 1931, and 1944 cents have letters V.D.B. on the truncation of Lincoln’s bust, while those made before 1918 do not.

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