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Light Planchet Errors?

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New Member
garretterika's Avatar
United States
49 Posts
 Posted 03/05/2007  11:06 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add garretterika to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I have approximately 6 each of 1972 and 1979 Kennedy half dollars all weighing 10.4 -10.5 grams. The normal weight for the planchet is 11.3 grams. They are not excessively worn in fact some are AU. I cherrypick Kennedy half dollars for a few varieties and errors and of course silver from time to time. I find these coins by the sound they make when they contact another coin. They resonate with a higher pitch than normal. In fact, they sound like a silver coin would when you plink it against a clad coin. Just from the sound of the coins in a stack or roll, I can tell that one is different. I can pick out the exact coin and sure enough when I weigh that one, it comes out grossly underweight. I have asked some experts in the past and they have given me possible explanations like (foreign planchet?) however I have looked up the foreign planchets minted during those years as published by the US mint and can't find any that match the weight of the coins. Other experts have suggested that the coin planchet was just rolled a bit thin. I can't tell any difference in the thickness and they all appear to be normal thickness. Further I had two of the coins tested and certified by SEGS and the grader told me that he used a micrometer to measure the thickness of the coin and it was within the accepted standards for half dollars of those years. Further, the coins all appear normally struck, I don't see any weak design features that aren't common to all kennedys of those years. I've been frustrated by my inability to figure this one out. SEGS marked the coins as light planchet when they encapsulated them ( of course that doesn't tell me anything more than what my scale already told me) SEGS also said they did a specific gravity test that came back normal for Kennedy halves. Something doesn't add up. If the outside dimensions of the coin are right and the specific gravity is right, then how can they be underweight? Is it possible that there were experimental planchets used in those years? Is it possible that I don't have a comprehensive list of foreign planchets possible for those years? Any help would be appreciated. I don't want to spend lots of money seeking an answer through certification (I've already spent some without any answers) and still come up with nothing of value. Thanks for reading this long post. I can answer further questions if you like. The fact that these coins are all 72 p or 79 p and no other years keeps leading me to believe that something explainable and not random was happening in those years in Philadelphia!
Valued Member
United States
117 Posts
 Posted 03/05/2007  11:22 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add pennybright to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Wow - you worded this better than I have/could, I too would like to see the answers on this one!
Pillar of the Community
Jaobler's Avatar
United States
6381 Posts
 Posted 03/06/2007  6:54 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Jaobler to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Garretterika, you've come across a real puzzler. My first guess was that the copper and copper-nickel alloy sheets used to prepare the clad planchets might have had incorrect thickness. If there were more of the lighter metal component and less of the heavier component, the result could be a light planchet with correct total thickness. However, I checked out the density ratings of pure copper, pure nickel, and copper-nickel alloy and they all fall into the 8.9 - 8.96 grams per cubic centimeter range. Given this tiny density difference, you would never see weight changes due to varying ratios of core metal to cladding metal.
I expect that the large weight difference you report could only come from either a thin planchet or a planchet that contains a component with lower density than copper or nickel. Zinc is one example of a lighter metal, with a density of 7.14 grams/cc. If your halves were dated after 1982 I might suspect that some zinc cents were accidentally included in the melt when they prepared the planchet alloy!
Technology is available that can detect various metals in an object without causing damage. Years ago I has a QC job that involved testing solder-covered wire to verify the solder alloy. An X-Ray Diffraction device was used that measured the lead-to-tin ratio in the coating. This machine could identify silver, gold, platinum, and most other metals. If you're willing to do some more digging and perhaps spend some money, you might find a lab that could at least determine whether there was something other than copper and nickel in your coins.
All in all, a fascinating puzzle! Please report if you find out anything else about your lightweight halves. Meanwhile, I think I'll start weighing my 1972 and 1979 Kennedys!
New Member
garretterika's Avatar
United States
49 Posts
 Posted 03/06/2007  11:58 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add garretterika to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
thanks jaobler,
I've heard of xray type technology to tell density. I'm glad you followed my rambling and understand my dilemna. I'll post more info if I get more. The grader that did the tests I mentioned said that he would like to take a copy of each date around the country with him to the experts and see what he could find out. I'm still of the opinion that since everything easily measurable is within tolerance except the weight and the resonance of the coin that I have coins with some difference in the metal type or content amount. Thanks for all your expertise and if you think of anything else, let me know.
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