The Wide AM and Close AM reverses on late-1990s Lincoln cents are one of the quickest wins in roll hunting. Most people know the 1999 Wide AM is the valuable one, but the real story is bigger. Two different reverse designs were supposed to stay in their own lanes. They didn’t. Old dies slipped back into use, new dies weren’t isolated cleanly, and the result is a pocket-change variety that’s easy to spot once you know the markers.

You don’t need mint-state coins to learn this. You just need a clear look at AMERICA, the FG initials, and one or two reliable reference photos. This post breaks it all down.

See our post on how to search rolls and pocket change for errors and key dates.

Why These Varieties Exist

In 1993 the Mint introduced a redesigned reverse for the Lincoln cent. The spacing in AMERICA tightened. STATES shifted slightly on the new design, moving the A closer to the T. The FG initials were recut and repositioned. This was the new baseline.

But starting in 1998, a few leftover older-style Wide AM reverse dies ended up back on the presses. Whether it was die-shelf mix-ups, repolishing cycles, or simply running older dies to keep production moving, a small number slipped into circulation in 1998, 1999, and 2000.

That’s all a Wide AM is: the older reverse design accidentally used during the new reverse era.

And here’s the key thing most beginners miss:

AM spacing alone isn’t perfectly consistent. Dies wear, get polished, and never age identically. Some Wide AMs look a little tighter from die wear, and some Close AMs look slightly more open from circulation or plating bubbles. If you rely only on the A–M gap, you’ll second-guess every borderline coin.

The good news is that two features never drift with die wear or polishing.

Those are the ones to trust.

The Two Details That Never Lie

Forget the AM for a second. The fastest way to tell these reverses apart is to look at STATES and the FG initials.

1. Where the A in STATES actually sits

On the Wide AM reverse (the early 90s style):

• The A in STATES is perfectly centered between the T and the E.
• Imagine drawing a vertical line through the middle of the A. It should split the gap between the T and E almost evenly.

On the Close AM reverse (the 1993-and-later standard design):

• That same A is nudged closer to the T.
• If you try that same imaginary line through the A, it leans into the T side instead of sitting in the middle.

This helps when the AM spacing is borderline. If the A is dead center, you are in Wide AM territory. If it is crowding the T, you are looking at a Close AM.

2. Strong FG vs weak FG

Next is the designer initials.

On the Wide AM reverse, you get the strong FG:

• The G has a clear little serif or “foot” on the bottom right.
• The letters look bold and well cut, with a crisp inner opening on the G.

On the Close AM reverse, you get the weak FG:

• The serif on the G is weak or missing entirely.
• The letters look softer and more worn even on higher grade coins, because they were cut that way on the hub.

Once you train your eye on these two details, the AM spacing turns into a backup check instead of the main event. You can have Wide AM coins where the gap does not look huge, and Close AM coins where corrosion or plating bubbles make the spacing look wider than it really is. The A position and the FG style are carved in from the design itself. They do not lie.

What Wide AM Coins Are Worth

The market for these coins is all over the place because condition matters more than anything. The reverse variety is the starting point, but the grade determines whether a coin is worth real money or just pocket change curiosity.

Mint State examples bring the premiums.

A verified 1998, 1999, or 2000 Wide AM in solid mint state can sell anywhere from $20 to well over $200, depending on grade and eye appeal. Most collectors think of the 1999 first, but the actual scarcest one is the 1998 Wide AM. It shows up less often in both circulation and bulk buys, so high grade examples can climb fast.

Circulated coins drop off fast.

Once you get into XF and below, values shrink quickly. A typical circulated Wide AM (especially 2000) might sell for $3–$10, and many don’t sell at all unless they’re attractive AU or better. The exception is the 1999 Wide AM, which has a stronger collector base and tends to move even in lower grades, though still at modest numbers.

Damaged or heavily worn examples are almost never worth selling.

If the coin is scratched, corroded, discolored, or beat up, it becomes more of a teaching sample than a saleable coin. You’ll see sellers try to list rough examples for $20+, but they sit forever. Treat them like learning tools, not inventory.

Relative rarity, in simple terms:

• 1998 Wide AM – toughest to find
• 1999 Wide AM – still scarce, but more available than 98
• 2000 Wide AM – by far the most common

All three are collectible, but only true mint state coins consistently bring premiums. Everything else is either an entry-level sell or something you keep because the variety itself is cool.

Wide AMBut starting in 1998, a few leftover older-style Wide AM reverse dies ended up back on the presses. cents are one of the fastest things you can train your eye to spot. Once you understand the two reverse designs and the details that stay consistent on every die, the whole process becomes automatic. You’ll start catching them in rolls, in change, and in the stray jar you forgot about in the junk drawer.

Even if most finds end up being low value examples, they’re some of the best teaching coins you can work with. They sharpen your eye for spacing, alignment, and die diagnostics, and they open the door to the rest of the late-stage Lincoln Memorial varieties.

Keep a couple examples in flips for reference. Build a small comparison set so your brain gets used to the patterns. Before long you won’t even need to start with the AM spacing. You’ll know the variety as soon as you see the STATES alignment or the FG style.

This is one of the easiest wins in roll hunting. Once you know what to look for, you’ll never miss one again.