1930 Penny

This good Very Fine 1930 Penny has  

1. A full central diamond that leaps out and knocks you in the eye. (With most 1930 Pennies, the central diamond is completely obliterated. Or just one side of the central diamond is evident, the other three sides worn away.)
2. The 1930 Penny was originally struck with eight pearls. The ‘smudging’ of the seventh and eight pearl is evident in this coin and it is this area of the crown that makes this coin of the highest rarity.  
3. There are six clear, crisp well defined pearls in the crown.
4. The oval to the left of the central diamond is intact. (With most 1930 Pennies the oval is only partially evident.)
5. The edges are undamaged. The fields are undamaged. The fields are glossy and smooth. The toning is an even chocolate brown.
6. The reverse is particularly impressive with well-defined upper and lower scrolls and inner beading.

And while all of the above details may seem very technical … it is the complete and strong central diamond, the complete lower band and the ‘smudging’ of the seventh and eighth pearl that places this coin in a league of its own and justifies the supreme quality level of Good Very Fine.

This coin is easily in the top 3 per cent of known surviving examples. See pie chart below.

Our experiences attest to the scarcity of a 1930 Penny at this quality level. We have been involved in the industry for more than forty five years and this is the fourth only good Very Fine ‘1930’ that we have handled. 

The accidental minting of the 1930 Penny was not discovered until the 1940s. That the 1930 Penny underwent at least a decade of circulation before it was discovered means that most of the surviving examples are well circulated, with edge bumps and field marks. The pie chart below clearly shows the extreme scarcity of 1930 Pennies in a quality level of Good Very Fine or better.

Already have a 1930 Penny? Then consider a trade to upgrade your coin.