Question about scarcity of small dates...

[redbrains]

Does anyone know what the estimated mintages are for
the 60P, 60D, 70S, 74PDS, and the 82 small dates?

Obviously the 70S is the scarcest based on prices, but I wonder how the small date memorials compare to other "key" dates in terms of mintages.

[eagames]

I'll take a swag at it

I don't know the numbers but of what you listed...

70-S small PF or Buss is rarest.
60-P might be next
60-D and 82 P/D might be next
then 74 might be least rare.

At least that corresponds with values.

[coppercoins]

Ed is correct as far as rarity/value goes. There is no such thing as "mintage figures" for the date size varieties. They would have to first be kept by the mint, which they did not. The date size differences were not supposed to be noticed by the public, thus there was no importance in keeping the figures separate. The official mint records do not show any difference.

Given that, there have been "estimates" over the years that include:

1960 - approximately 20 large date to one small date.
1960D - approximately 2 large date to one small date.
1970S - approximately 40 large date to one small date.
1974P, D, S - large to small ratio undetermined, but roughly equal.
1982 brass - approximately 5 large date to one small date.
1982 zinc - approximately 10 large date to one small date.
1982D zinc - approximately 3 large date to one small dae.

[coppercoins]

Although not asked, I also have some mintmark size variety information:

1928S - approximately 20 small to one large mintmark.
1941S - approximately 8 small to one large mintmark.
1946S - ration of serif to sans-serif to ball serif - about 20:10:1 - that's 20 serif style to one ball serif style.
1952D - working on this one.

There are others (1942S, 1943S, 1944S, 1945S, 1947S) with different styles that have not yet been measured for ratios.

All the ratios mentioned in mintmark styles are probably somewhat accurate to the number actually minted. The date size differences for 1960 and 1970 are likely not accurate to mintage since these varieties were known and pulled from circulation very early in their manufacture.

[redbrains]

Thanks so much for the info!