The First Branch Mint Cent - 1908-S Indian Head Cent Grading Set

描述: The 1908-S made history as the first U.S. cent produced outside of the Philadelphia Mint for general circulation. This became possible because of a change in law a few years earlier which had previously prevented non-silver or non-gold coins from being produced elsewhere. Production of the 1,115,000 San Francisco cents ultimately minted in 1908 commenced in November of that year.

Given the historic significance and low mintage of the 1908-S cent, it was saved at the time and was pulled from circulation in subsequent years. The introduction of the Lincoln cent in early 1909 helped speed up the removal of the 1908-S cents from circulation. Today, while it is relatively easy to find well-preserved mint state examples available, it is extremely difficult to find heavily-circulated examples that are problem free.

Finally, I think that the 1908-S would likely be a much more popular, and arguably valuable coin, but for the 1909-S. It is clear that the 1909-S Indian Head Cent is not as historic of a coin as the 1908-S, but its mintage of approximately 1/4 that of the 1908-S makes the 1909-S the key San Francisco Indian Head Cent, effectively leaving the 1908-S in its dust as a semi-key cent.
Views since June 2009. Thanks for looking!This set was sold in July 2013 to a St. Louis area collector and remains listed here with his consent.