Large Date vs. Small Date Lincoln Pennies: 1960, 1970-S, 1974, and 1982

Most Lincoln cents from a given year and mint were struck from dies that all look the same. But in a handful of years, the Mint changed its date punch mid-production or mid-design, leaving two distinct date styles—Large Date and Small Date—circulating side by side. Collectors focus on four years in particular: 1960, 1970 (specifically the San Francisco issue), 1974, and 1982. Three of the four command real premiums for the scarcer variety. The fourth, 1982, produced something far more significant: an accidental transitional error now worth tens of thousands of dollars.

The Large Date / Small Date years

1960: the first modern split

The U.S. Mint changed its date punch partway through 1960, creating Large Date and Small Date varieties at both Philadelphia and Denver. On the Small Date, the top of the “9” sits level with the “1” and “0.” The 1960 Philadelphia Small Date is scarcer and more collectible than the Large Date.

1970-S: a tougher find in high grade

The same kind of punch change affected the San Francisco mint mark in 1970. On the Small Date—also known as the “High 7,” since the “7” aligns level with the “9” and “0” instead of sitting lower—the word LIBERTY also strikes softer than on the common Large Date. It’s a genuinely tougher find in high grade, with certified business-strike examples ranging from around $20 in circulated condition up past $10,000 in top Mint State, and proof Deep Cameo examples reaching even higher. See our full 1970-S Small Date identification and pricing guide for all four PCGS diagnostic checkpoints and current grade-by-grade values.

A separate, unrelated find from the same date and mint: the 1970-S Large Date Doubled Die Obverse (FS-101), which shows visible doubling on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date. High-grade mint state examples have sold for several hundred dollars up to more than $8,000 at auction.

1974: three mints, no premium

Lincoln cents from 1974 also have a recognized Large Date and Small Date split, and it shows up across all three mints that year—Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco (1974, 1974-D, and 1974-S). The clearest single diagnostic is the triangular gap inside the “4”: taller than wide on the Small Date, roughly equal on the Large Date. Unlike the other three years here, PCGS doesn’t attribute or price the 1974 varieties separately—mintages for both styles run into the billions at every mint, with no meaningful scarcity or premium either way. See our full 1974 Large Date/Small Date identification guide for the complete set of diagnostics.

1982: a date change and a composition change at once

1982 is the most complicated of the four years, because the Mint changed two things at the same time: the date punch (Large Date to Small Date) and the coin’s composition (from 95% copper to copper-plated zinc). A 95%-copper cent weighs about 3.11 grams; a copper-plated zinc cent weighs about 2.5 grams.

Because the transition happened mid-year and independently at each mint, 1982 and 1982-D cents exist in seven standard combinations:

San Francisco also produced a 1982-S proof that year. Each linked guide above covers that combination’s specific identification points and current values in more depth than this overview.

Telling Large Date from Small Date on a 1982 cent

Two digits give it away:

The “2”: on the Large Date, the bottom of the “2” has a straight baseline. On the Small Date, it curves up into what collectors describe as a “swan’s neck.”
The “8”: on the Large Date, the top and bottom openings of the “8” are roughly the same size. On the Small Date, the top opening is noticeably smaller, giving the digit a “snowman” silhouette.

To tell copper from zinc, weigh the coin on a digital scale accurate to the hundredth of a gram. Copper cents weigh close to 3.11 grams; zinc cents weigh close to 2.5 grams. Weight is far more reliable than color or shine, since a heavily worn or lightly toned coin of either composition can look deceptively similar at a glance.

The 1982-D Small Date bronze cent: the rarest of the bunch

Every combination above is a recognized variety, but six of the seven are common. The exception is the coin that, in theory, shouldn’t exist at all: a 1982-D cent struck with a Small Date die on a leftover 95%-copper planchet.

A small number of these were apparently struck by accident when Denver’s presses briefly used old copper planchets alongside the new Small Date zinc dies during the changeover. The result carries a Denver “D” mint mark, the Small Date font, and a weight of roughly 3.11 grams—a combination that was never supposed to be minted together. Only a handful of confirmed examples are known, and they have sold for tens of thousands of dollars at major auctions. See our dedicated 1982-D Small Date bronze cent guide for the full discovery history and individual sale prices.

How to check your own 1982 cents

Sort by mint mark and date style first. You’re only looking for coins with a “D” mint mark and the Small Date font (the curved “2,” the “snowman” “8”).
Weigh anything that passes step one. Use a digital scale accurate to 0.01 grams. A 1982-D Small Date weighing close to 3.11 grams—not 2.5 grams—is the combination worth pursuing further.
Don’t rely on color or shine alone. Copper and zinc cents can look similar, especially with wear or toning; the scale is the reliable test.
Get anything that matches authenticated. Given the value involved, and the fact that this exact combination is also the one most likely to attract deliberate alterations, an independent certification from a recognized grading service is worth the cost before you treat a coin as genuine.

Frequently asked questions

Which years have Large Date and Small Date Lincoln cents?

The officially recognized years are 1960 (Philadelphia and Denver), 1970 (San Francisco only), 1974 (all three mints), and 1982 (Philadelphia and Denver).

Which Large Date/Small Date years are actually valuable?

1960 Philadelphia Small Date and 1970-S Small Date both carry real premiums. The 1974 varieties are equally common and carry no premium. 1982’s date varieties themselves are mostly common too—the real prize is the ultra-rare 1982-D Small Date struck on a bronze planchet.

What’s different about 1982 compared with the other years?

1982 combined a date-punch change with a composition change, from 95% copper to copper-plated zinc, creating seven standard date/mint/composition combinations instead of just two.

How do I tell a copper 1982 cent from a zinc one without cutting it open?

Weigh it. Copper cents weigh about 3.11 grams; copper-plated zinc cents weigh about 2.5 grams. A precise digital scale is the most reliable tool.

Why is the 1982-D Small Date bronze cent so valuable?

It’s a transitional error: a Denver Small Date die was used on a leftover copper planchet, a combination that was never intended to exist. Only a few confirmed examples are known.

I found a 1982-D cent that weighs 3.11 grams with a Small Date—now what?

Don’t clean it, and get it authenticated by a recognized third-party grading service before assuming it’s genuine or attempting to sell it. Given the value and the incentive for alteration, professional verification is essential.

How much is a 1970-S Small Date cent worth?

Roughly $20 in circulated grades, climbing steeply with certified grade into five figures for the finest Mint State and proof Deep Cameo examples. See the dedicated 1970-S Small Date guide for grade-by-grade values.

What is the 1970-S FS-101 doubled die?

A separate, more valuable error found on 1970-S Large Date cents: a doubled die obverse showing visible doubling on LIBERTY, IN GOD WE TRUST, and the date. High-grade mint state examples have sold for several hundred dollars up to more than $8,000 at auction.

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