1984-D Cent, Possible 1980-81 Canadian Planchet?

An aside: A few decades ago, we were beyond broke. Poverty would have been a huge leap of upward mobility. We did not realize it, but we were actually fairly well off -- if only we'd known.

My now late second ex-wife came into the marriage with a literal "box of rocks." Her uncle, or grandfather, would pick up a rock everywhere he traveled (Kind of like that Lucile Ball classic *drama* (I think "The Big Trailer").

They were not small rocks.

One day, she tells me that one of them is a meteorite. She said that was what he told her, and he was certain of it, I think she said he had it verified somewhere.

So, I looked at them. Intently. Finally, I said that if one of them IS a meteorite, it's this one.

We had a store. Cameras, computers, and repairs on both. One customer was a professor from the astronomy department at the local state university. I mentioned this to him, and he scoffed (I'm being polite here). I said, well, would you be willing to look at it anyway? He said sure.

So, I brought it down to the store, and he came in and took a look at it. His demeanor underwent an instant and dramatic change. He was just about drooling on it. (This was NOT a *small* meteorite. It was a "stony" type, probably close to ten pounds.)

He pleaded with us to "donate" it to the university (to his department, of course). He said they'd even give us a nice plaque, with our names and all.

We declined his generous offer.

It was not until at least a decade after she died that I found out the value of such things.

Still kicking myself over that.

When she completed her breakdown (I did not know she had been diagnosed schizophrenic until we'd been married several years), she walked out, and married a guy apparently more her equal, and a couple of years later, she died.

I'm pretty sure that all of those "stupid old rocks" are sitting in a ditch somewhere in rural Michigan.

With that memory lingering, I am reluctant to toss *this* thing back in the pond if there's the slightest chance that it's "Meteorite 2.0" for me.

Score it with a sharp instrument. It isn't unusual for coins to be a bit off on weight. Thick rolled planchets, extra plating layer, thick core, any small factor. I've had many 2.6 and a few 2.7 ones. Remember that tolerances are only "suggestions" for the proper weight...no one is going to jail because the law got violated now if it is too light or heavy, right?



PS, can't even fire the employee if it was indeed their screw-up!



This was determined to be what is known as a "mint assisted error". The employee tossed a Canadian quarter in the Planchet hopper. This happens at times, is most all time INTENTIONAL! Some errors like the copper 1982D small date, was most likely unintentional, and because only one has surfaced in 35 years, was a fluke.

Seriously?

Wouldn't it be more effective to put it on my drill press, or nail it to a tree and fire a round at it? <g>

(I can't tell if you're joking or serious!)

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I am not wedded to the idea of it being a Canadian planchet. That just seemed to be too coincidental for comfort (their having used that exact weight a few years prior to my coin's minting,and the on-again/off-again quasi-incestuous relationship between the two nations' mints.

Other possibilities occurred to me, such as experimental planchets that were tried prior to the one they settled on in 1982.

Given their SOP (lots of experimentation), I would think it odd if they *didn't* experiment with a variety of planchets leading up to 1982 (and that's not even taking into account the 1974 aluminum coins).

And by the same token (ha ha, pun intended), I would be surprised if *every* last one of 'em was properly accounted for and destroyed prior to '82.

As to tolerances, they do indeed have tolerances, and this is way outside the tolerance range for that planchet (I don't have the numbers at the tip of my finger, but, I *did* check!)

Aye, there's the rub.

If I thought it was zinc, sure. But if I thought it was zinc, I wouldn't *need* to do that!

Bad game theory outcome. Lose/lose proposition. If it's zinc, I lose my time (and maybe my fingertip; pretty severe spinal damage -- you haven't been able to see me repairing any cameras for quite some time now). If it's NOT zinc, I lose a nontrivial amount of money.

So, I'll just send it in and let the big boys earn their keep. {To whoever has the magic, feel free to close this thread, and thanks for the convo!)
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Well, yes, I *do* have a cheapo scale (I confess! I confess! :)

But... it shows the right weight for known zinc, and known copper cents.

John1, In Dimwit the Die tech's pocket, of course!

They're only strip-searched when LEAVING!