1961 Proof Lincoln Penny (Off-Metal?) (Pattern?)

Not a proof -- rim doesn't look like a proof coin's should. The rim should be flat.

Also looks like the coin has been polished.

It might be coated with Mercury if it's silver or white in color. If so, it's what I call a hazmat coin!

Looks plated not a proof .

Altered surface makes it a regular coin. (undesirable to a collector)

Can you guys explain how this is for sure a plated coin, I'm sure it is since that seems to be the consensus but I would like to know how you guys know or if there is a website anyone knows about that would show me examples. I paid 50 bucks for it so I'm not to mad lol just dont want to make a mistake like this in the future. Thanks all again for the help.

The rough surface. The proof coins should be mirror proof in the early 1960's:

Note how your coin is rough looking?

The newer proof coins have cameo's:

This one is missing it's mint mark. ('S')

Yours looks like it is gold plated?

CoopHome : Plated coins

Another dis-service the HSN community did the States quarters plating them with gold and platinum. (Another rip off)


1943 Steel cents are plated copper or reprocessed also remove any value for them:


1943 cents plated in gold and copper:


Anything added to a coin after it leaves the mint, ruins the value to a collector. Rubes buy them, but they are not collectors.

White bronze is another common plating. It is non-magnetic and cheap. Typically, white bronze is a 55-25-20 Cu-Sn-Zn alloy. (Despite the name, it isn't actually true bronze.) It's the most common plating used on 1942 and 1944 cents to palm them off as steel.

polished then plated. abes silhouette is kind of washed out/over polished