1974 D Penny Appraisal

1974-D Lincoln Penny with Counterstamped Kennedy Portrait

This item is a 1974-D Lincoln Memorial Cent that has been modified with a secondary counterstamp. The base coin is a standard United States penny composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc/tin, measuring 19.05 mm in diameter. On the obverse, the original bust of Abraham Lincoln is visible, with the motto 'IN GOD WE TRUST' along the top rim and 'LIBERTY' to the left. The date '1974' and the mint mark 'D' (Denver) are located to the right. The defining feature of this specimen is a small, recessed counterstamp of John F. Kennedy's profile facing Lincoln, located in the field between Lincoln's head and the date. These countermarked coins were popular novelty items in the 1970s, often sold on cards highlighting coincidental similarities between the two presidents. The coin exhibits a natural copper-orange luster with some visible surface wear and minor scuffing typical of light circulation. There is a slight darkening or oxidation within the recesses of the Kennedy stamp and the main legends. The strike of the base coin is clear, while the counterstamp appears well-aligned and firmly impressed, though it is an after-market modification rather than a mint error.