The 1922 (no D) is a SUPER find! I've been looking for one of those since I was kid. I have 2 1922-D pennies I found in change back in the 1950s, but never found the "no-D" variety.
The no-D variety's mintage is unknown but for sure it is a hell of a lot less than the 7,000,000 total mintage for that year.
The "no-D" variety commands a high price even in just good condition.
See the explanations in this link to the PCGS site:
LINK: https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1922-no-d-1c-strong-reverse-bn/3285
Jaime Hernandez: The 1922 No D Lincoln cent is the only circulation strike coin, in the entire Lincoln cent series which lacks its intended mint mark.
History: In 1922, the Denver Mint was the only Mint which produced cents for that year. Consequently, all 1922 cents should bare the D mint mark. However, since the Denver Mint was under extreme pressure to produce cents for that year, there was a lot of sloppiness in the production process.
The 1922 No D is believed to exist due to a pair of dies clashing with one another without a coin being in between the two dies. As a result, it is believed that a mint employee obtained an old obverse die and filed it down in order to improve its appearance. But instead, the mint employee ended up filing the D mint mark too much, and in return, created the 1922 No D Lincoln cents.
The 1922 No D Lincoln cent has always been recognized as a major variety within the Lincoln cent series. Due to its popularity this coin has always commanded a hefty premium.
Scarcity: The 1922 No D Strong Reverse Lincoln cent is very challenging to aquire due to its high value in any grade. Most examples are believed to have been certified since they command such high premiums. Therefore, the population figures should provide a good idea of this coins true scarcity.
Varieties:There are two additional recognized varieties for this date which are much less popular and command much lower prices. One of them is the 1922 Weak D mint mark variety and the second one being the Weak Reverse variety.
Authentication: An authentic 1922 No D Lincoln cent will display very sharp details on the reverse unlike the additional two varieties of this year. A 1922 No D cent should have the second 2 stronger than the first 2. Also the word TRUST is sharply struck. There are additional diagnostics which differentiate the more expensive and popular 1922 No D Lincoln cents. Therefore, authentication is highly recommended for this variety.
From another site:
What is a 1922 No. D penny worth?
Here's a breakdown of the value of 1922 No D penny with a strong reverse: Circulated examples: So in-demand are these coins that
one graded Good (G) will fetch as much as much as $700. An Extra Fine example is worth about $2150 while an About Uncirculated will fetch up to $8750.
Like you said, if you are going to clean it, do it carefully. I think PCGS offers a cleaning service now, I just don't know how much they charge. Might be worth contacting them with some pics to see what they think.
Very, very cool find !! Congrats & thanks for posting !
