Dec 25, 2025
What are these "S", "D", and "P" mint marks?
P = Philadelphia (The mothership! Usually no mint mark on older coins, but they started adding the 'P' on many after 1980.)
D = Denver (The Mile-High Mint!)
S = San Francisco (Originally the gateway for Gold Rush coins, now often makes proof sets and special strikes.)
Why does it matter? Some years, one mint produced far fewer coins than the others, making that specific mint mark rare and valuable. A 1982 penny with a 'D' is common; a 1982 penny with a 'S'? Not so much.
Don’t memorize coin value checker, scan automatically factors in the mint mark to give you the right rarity and value info. No squinting required.