A key date coin is one that is more difficult to obtain than others in the series. A key date may include all coins from a single year or just one date and mintmark combination. Key dates coins can also include special varieties of coins as noted in popular guide books.
This list was compiled using many sources. As can be expected, there were many differences in opinion especially for pre-20th century coins. Judgement was made as to what to include based on mintage and population reports from the grading services.
A list of this type cannot be perfect. But if you have a compelling discussion to include or exclude a coin, please contact me and we can discussion your concerns.
At the present, this list does not contain gold coins.
Half Cents
- Liberty Cap (1793-1797): 1793, 1796 With and Without Pole, 1797 Gripped Edge
- Draped Bust (1800-1808): 1802/0 Reverse of 1800, 1805 Small 5 Stems,1808/7
- Classic Head (1809-1836): 1811 Close Date
- Braided Hair (1840-1857): 1840-1848, 1849 Small Date, 1852
Large Cents
- Flowing Hair (1793): All Types
- Liberty Cap (1793-1796): 1793, 1794 Starred Reverse, 1795 Jefferson Head Plain Edge
- Draped Bust (1796-1807): 1796 LIHERTY, 1803 Large Date Small Fraction, 1804
- Classic Head (1808-1814)
- Matron Head (1816-1839): 1823
- Braided Hair (1839-1857)
Small Cents
- Flying Eagle (1856-1858): 1856
- Indian Head (1859-1909): 1869/9, 1877, 1888/7, 1908-S, 1909-S
- Lincoln Cent (1909-Present)
- Type 1: Wheat Ear Reverse (1909-1958): 1909-S VDB, 1914-D, 1922 No D, 1931-S, 1955 DDO
- Type 2: Zinc-Coated Steel (1943): 1943 Bronze
- Type 3: Memorial Reverse (1959-2008): 1974 Aluminum
- Type 4: Lincoln Bicentennial Series (2009)
- Type 5: Shield Reverse (2010-Present)
Two Cents
- Shield Design (1864-1873): 1864 Small Motto, 1867 DDO, 1872, 1873
Three Cents
- Silver (Trime) (1851-1873): 1855, 1863-1873
- Nickel (1865-1889): 1877, 1878, 1882, 1883, 1884, 1885, 1886 Proof Only, 1887, 1889
Half Dimes (5-Cents)
- Flowing Hair (1794-1795): 1794-1795
- Draped Bust (1796-1805): 1797 13-Stars, 1803 Small 8
- Capped Bust (1829-1837):
- Seated Liberty (1837-1873): 1838, 1839-O Large O, 1846, 1853-O No Arrows, 1870-S Unique
Five Cents (Nickels)
- Shield (1866-1883): 1877 Proof Only, 1878 Proof Only, 1879, 1880, 1881, 1883/2
- Liberty Head (1883-1913): 1885, 1886, 1912-S, 1913 (5 Known)
- Indian Head (Buffalo): (1913-1938): 1913-D Type 2, 1913-S Type 2, 1914/3, 1914-D, 1916 DDO, 1937-D 3 Legs
- Jefferson (1938-Present): 1950-D
Ten Cents (Dimes)
- Draped Bust (1796-1807): 1804 14-Stars Rev
- Capped Bust (1809-1837): 1822
- Seated Liberty (1837-1891): 1846, 1871-CC, 1872-CC, 1873-CC, 1874-CC
- Barber “Liberty Head” (1892-1916): 1894, 1895, 1895-O, 1901-S, 1903-S
- Winged Liberty Head “Mercury” (1916-1945): 1916-D, 1942/1, 1942/1-D
- Roosevelt (1946-Present): 1968-S No S, 1975-S No S, 1982-S No S
Twenty Cents
- Liberty Seated (1875-1878): 1875-CC, 1876-CC
Quarter Dollars
- Draped Bust (1796-1807): 1796, 1804
- Capped Bust (1815-1838): 1822 25/50c, 1823/2, 1824/2, 1827/3
- Seated Liberty (1838-1891): 1840-O Large O, 1842-O Small Date, 1855-O, 1856-S, 1864-S, 1866 With Motto, 1866-S With Motto, 1866 No Motto (Unique), 1867-S, 1871-CC, 1872-S, 1872-CC, 1873-CC, 1874-CC
- Barber “Liberty Head” (1892-1916): 1891-O, 1896-S, 1901-S, 1913-S
- Standing Liberty (1916-1930): 1916, 1918/7-S, 1927-S
- Washington (1932-Present): 1932-D
Half Dollars
- Flowing Hair (1794-1795): 1794, 1795 Small Head, 1795 Silver Plug
- Draped Bust (1796-1807): 1796, 1797
- Capped Bust (1807-1839): 1815/2, 1836 Reeded Edge, 1838-O, 1839-O
- Seated Liberty (1839-1891): 1842-O Small Date, 1847/6, 1851, 1852-O, 1870-CC, 1871-CC, 1872-CC, 1873-CC, 1874-S, 1874-CC, 1878-CC
- Barber “Liberty Head” (1892-1915): 1892-O, 1892-O Micro O, 1892-S, 1893-S, 1896-S, 1897-O, 1897-S, 1914
- Walking Liberty (1916-1947): 1916-S, 1921, 1921-D
- Franklin Head (1948-1963): 1955
- Kennedy (1964-Present): 1970-D
One Dollar
- Flowing Hair (1794-1795): 1794
- Draped Bust (1795-1804): 1798, 1804 Restrike
- Gobrecht Dollars (1836-1839): 1838, 1839
- Seated Liberty (1840-1873): 1851, 1852, 1858, 1870-S
- Trade (1873-1885): 1873-CC, 1878-CC, 1884 Proof
- Morgan (1878-1921): 1879-CC, 1880-CC, 1881-CC, 1882-CC, 1885-CC, 1889-CC, 1890-CC, 1891-CC, 1892-S, 1893, 1893-O, 1893-S, 1893-CC, 1895 Proof, 1895, 1895-O
- Peace (1921-1964): 1921-D, 1928, 1934-S, 1964-D
- Eisenhower (1971-1978): 1972 Type 2
- Susan B. Anthony (1979-1999): 1979-S Proof Clear S, 1981-S Proof Clear S
- Sacagawea (2000-Present, Native American Reverse since 2009): 2000 “Cheerios” Dollar
- Presidential $1 Program (2007-2016, 2020)
- American Innovation $1 Program (2018-Present)