MintPricedUS coin series overview
A “series” is one design type of one denomination, collected by date and mint mark. These are the modern US series most people find in change. Dates are the years of the design; within a series, individual dates and mint marks vary a lot in scarcity.
Cents
- Lincoln cent, wheat reverse — 1909–1958. The first US circulating coin with a real person’s portrait. 1943 cents were struck in zinc-coated steel because copper was needed for the war.
- Lincoln Memorial reverse — 1959–2008.
- Lincoln Bicentennial — 2009, four reverse designs from Lincoln’s life.
- Union Shield reverse — 2010 onward.
Five cents
- Jefferson nickel — 1938 onward. Wartime 1942–1945 issues are 35% silver with a large mint mark above Monticello. The 2004–2005 Westward Journey nickels used special designs, and a new forward-facing Jefferson portrait appeared from 2006.
Dimes
- Roosevelt dime — 1946 onward. 1964 and earlier are 90% silver; later circulating dimes are copper-nickel clad.
Quarters
- Washington quarter — 1932 onward, with many reverse programs: the Bicentennial (dated 1776–1976), 50 State Quarters (1999–2008), DC and US Territories (2009), America the Beautiful (2010–2021), Washington Crossing the Delaware (2021) and American Women Quarters (2022–2025).
Half dollars
- Kennedy half dollar — 1964 onward. 1964 is 90% silver; 1965–1970 is 40% silver; later circulation strikes are clad.
Dollars
- Eisenhower dollar — 1971–1978.
- Susan B. Anthony dollar — 1979–1981 and 1999.
- Sacagawea / Native American dollar — 2000 onward, with new reverse designs each year since 2009.
- Presidential dollars — 2007–2016, plus a 2020 issue; date and mint mark are on the edge.
How to collect a series
Most collectors use a folder or album with one hole per date and mint mark, and fill it from change and bank rolls. Start with a recent series where most coins are easy to find, then move to older ones. Check each coin’s mint mark and condition before you place it. The MintPriced app has series slots for US series, so you can see what is still missing.
For full date-by-date data, NGC’s free Coin Explorer and the U.S. Mint’s history pages are good starting points.
Sources and further reading
- U.S. Mint: Circulating coins
- U.S. Mint: History of U.S. circulating coins
- U.S. Mint: Mint marks
- NGC Coin Explorer
More answers in the coin FAQ.
General information, not financial or appraisal advice. Values depend on condition and the buyer; ask a qualified dealer or grading service before buying or selling.