U.S. Mint Releases Special Philly Marked Penny, Capturing Attention Of Collectors
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Check your pockets and your couch cushions for pennies because the Philadelphia Mint has made a tiny addition to the coins. The change is causing some excitement among collectors.
"Right below the date, you'll see the letter P," said Rich Weaver, the president of the Delaware Valley Rare Coin Company.
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Weaver says the P has never appeared on one-cent pieces struck in Philadelphia. "You've seen D before for Denver, S for San Francisco. But when there was no letter, it was always the Philadelphia Mint. That's how it was known."
Think of the P as props for Philadelphia's maker of legal tender coinage, part of the Mint's releases marking its 225th anniversary.
Now, you won't be in the money if you find one of these. "The first thing to make a rarity is production. What's the mintage figure? From what I understand, there's no intention to limit the mintage figure for this year's coin."
But, Weaver says, it's still sparked interest.
"We hope it'll help get a youngster started in collecting coins. That's what brings them into us, and hopefully we can further their collecting."