The Enigmatic 1922 Lincoln Cent

In The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922, renowned numismatic expert Tom DeLorey delves deep into the mysteries surrounding the Denver Mint’s striking anomalies of the 1922-D and ＂No D＂ Cent varieties. With meticulous research, technical detail, stunning photos, and fresh discoveries, he uncovers the multiple factors behind these minting irregularities and introduces new theories that challenge conventional wisdom. Both captivating and thought-provoking, this technical masterpiece is a must-read for collectors and historians eager to unravel one of the most fascinating chapters in U.S. coinage history.

For just over a century now, collectors of United States coins have been bemused, amused or just plain confused by the Lincoln cents struck at the Denver Mint in 1922. Some are perfectly normal coins with a crisp portrait of Abraham Lincoln, a strong 1922 date, and a bold D for Denver mint mark. However, some 1922 cents resemble hardened blobs of metallic goo, showing a weak, mushy portrait of Lincoln and/or nearly smooth wheat stalks on the reverse with hardly any detail. They might have indistinct or illegible obverse and/or reverse lettering, a date that is soft and blurry in various of its digits, and a mint mark that can range from slightly worn to well-worn to faint to very faint to completely missing. Some of these coins are so defective that they have become highly prized collectibles.

The Enigmatic 1922 Lincoln Cent is the second title published under the new Professional Series--an essential collection for advanced collectors. Designed to elevate your expertise, this series delivers in-depth history, technical details, and precise pricing on specialized numismatic topics such as errors, varieties, and patterns. Authored by industry experts, each book in the series provides the knowledge and insight needed to take your collecting to the next level.

Tom DeLorey is a distinguished American numismatist whose lifelong passion for coins was first sparked by his father. His professional career began at Coin World in the early 1970s, where he rose to editor of the ＂Collector’s Clearinghouse.＂ In 1978 he joined the American Numismatic Association Certification Service, becoming Senior Authenticator in 1981, a position he held until 1984, and he continued to serve as a consultant to the ANA Authentication Bureau. Over time, he worked with Numisco in Chicago and later became Senior Numismatist for Harlan J. Berk, Ltd., a prominent Chicago coin dealership.

A prolific researcher and writer, DeLorey has co-authored and edited several standard references and contributed extensively to leading numismatic works and periodicals. He has written for both A Guide Book of United States Coins (Red Book) and Handbook of United States Coins (Blue Book) and is widely recognized for his clarity and depth of scholarship. His efforts have earned him the ANA’s Heath Literary Award four times, the Wayte and Olga Raymond Memorial Award twice, and multiple Numismatic Literary Guild honors.

In recognition of his impact on the field, DeLorey was named the ANA’s Numismatist of the Year in 2009, received its Lifetime Achievement Award in 2020, and was listed by Coin World among the Most Influential People in Numismatics 1960-2020, an honor he received again in 2024. His enduring contributions as a writer, authenticator, and mentor have left an indelible mark on American numismatics. Even after retiring from daily dealership work, he continues as an active researcher and writer, uncovering new die varieties and contributing to numismatic scholarship.