PART II. Die Varieties:
Large and Small Mintmark Variations
Definition: This occurs when two different size mintnmarks for the same mint are used in the same year on the same denominational coin.
In 1928, two different S mint marks were used for the Lincoln cent minted out of San Francisco. It is surmised that one of the S mint mark punches broke and a substitute was used. The image to the left shows a “small” S mint mark, which is the more commonly found for this year. The image to the right shows the “large” S mint mark which is less common.
The 1945 Winged Liberty dime also saw the use of two different S mint marks during the same year. The image to the left shows the more common mint mark, while the image to the right shows the less common “micro” S mint mark.
The 1941 Lincoln cent also showed two different S mintmarks during the same year. The image to the left has what is referred to as the “large” mintmark, while the image to the right has the “small” mintmark.
The “large” mintmark is considered to be the more uncommon of the two styles.
