1978 Silver Penny? Testing Real! Any Ideas?

Put a call in to the Philadelphia Mint and leave a message to the curator. They may have records at the mint of using other materials to test the longevity of types of coins. The 1978 year wasn't that far from 1982/83, when they swapped to zinc. Maybe they will be willing to answer a question. I suggest leaving a short brief message and leave your phone number and full email address.

I've seen a few of these silver pennies listed on ebay, and they too were from the 197X era. I just wrote them off as being part of a Mint Set and the cello wrapper ended up tarnishing the coin silver. I have a 1962 cent that is silver toned.

If your Camera has a MACRO setting, enable it, and you should be able to take pictures with better clarity.

As far as a Third Party Grading service for testing coins, I would imagine its a toss up for sending it in. I am sure the coin would need to be researched and tested, and they in turn would contact the mint(s) and see what it could have been struck on, or if it is considered a candidate for a bodybag and they don't slab it. If there isn't any amplifying evidence of a coin being struck on something else, then they have to consider it being done after it left the mint. It could be electroplating, dipping or other means. Electroplating would leave the lowest amount of content on the coin.

Another thing close photos will reveal is if there is any chemical reaction happening within the surfaces of the coin. A plated coin with 2 dislike metals will eventually start to work against each other and over time, show its true colors.

It depends on how much time and effort your willing to put into the coin to try to find out its true composition.

In a day or two I will take several photos of the coin that I have. It looks exactly as the one earlier in this thread, just mine has been scratched up.

Again, it wasn't always scratched, I found it when I was a kid and scratched the surface back and forth seeing if it was coated. Now I know I could have seriously damaged the value of the coin, but it's not plated.

Check back on this post in a few days and you will see.

Also, I did some looking in my area, there is a guy about 20 minutes from me that has a dealer account with PCGS. I might visit him in the near future and have the coin sent in.

OK, I'll be back.

Hello
I am new this this forum, but I have a 1978 aluminum? penny too! Smooth edges and looks brand new...no tarnish. Has anyone figured out what is the story about it and it's value? Thank you for your help!

Here is one that I have, I have a Whites V3I metal detector & it picks up +74 which is basically a dime....pennies are around a +55. It has me baffled.

I seen one today on ebay http://www.ebay.com/itm/ERROR-1959-...em2c78da547a, I have a whole bunch by all mine where plated for science projects or samples. Yours looks different than mine more like the one on ebay that was slab certified. But I am no expert

Here is another 1978 on a dime planchet slabbed http://www.ebay.com/itm/1978-RARE-N...111285884937

I have recently found, in my dad's large coin collection, a silver 1978 penny. However, mine is a 78 D. I will post pictures ASAP.

Sorry, ignore that last post... I didn't read the entire thread.