Silver 1957 D Lincoln Penny

If you search a $25 bank box of pennies, odds are you'll find at least one cent as beat up as the one in this thread, and it won't be a silver planchet.

You must have much different luck than I do. I had 100 lbs of Lincoln Cents in jars and boxes that I started storing around 1978, with about 15,000 overall and 6,600 being wheat straws.

I only sorted them by decade so far, and only weighed the transitional years and 800 corroded coins for a copper sort.

Out of 75 unsavory coppers, this "suspect" coin was the one and only oddity with this type of surface decay and black coloring - there were only three nasty wheats in this group, so maybe the alloys were better back then.

I only have seen green and brown discoloration and/or minor corrosion on the other 6,500 wheats.

I don't count the corrosion colors seen with the zincs because those are too bogus to start with.

Lucky I found this one, otherwise; I would have non-cents- drum roll on snare.

Thank you - I will be in the lounge all this week.

If you want to waste your money go ahead.

This coin is not what you think at all, and never will be no matter how much you deny it.

Gentlemen (I am guessing) - Daves Errors & SilverCents,

Thank you kindly for your inputs; your observations are noted and quite exact (with full rim and horrible pitting) and the same have been expressed by me to others as well - the coin has obvious damage. I am not denying or claiming anything about this suspect coin being a silver planchet - I am merely proposing the planchet is non-copper based on physical measurements.

I have indicated there is at least one PCGS-graded version of a silver-planchet 1957-D Lincoln Cent. There may be others documented, but I stopped looking after finding one that was substantiated. This suspect coin has the same minting strike as the above graded coin.

I proposed this specimen to the Forum for "expert" review and so far, it is split closely as to supportive and undermining with both the opinions and feedback.

However, there has been no contradicting evidence (facts & data) - just opinions to suggest how these documented dimensional changes could have occurred with this coin. If you can provide any information to corroborate or dispute the provided information, then please do so.

I am not a coin expert or aficionado by any means, that is why I'm here. I am not being confrontational in any manner as some others have been, especially since I have been "out of the game" for over 30 years, and just now coming back up to speed with everything that has changed in that time. I do enjoy the exchanges and banter on the Forum, as well as the opposing opinions. But in the end, opinions cannot dispute facts - the coin "is what it is" - it is a physical entity.

Unfortunately, I am unable to provide the nice photos as others do, but if you could physically see the coin and hold it in your hand, you would agree it is an extremely odd specimen.

Here are some facts and logic to dispute -


Weight - decrease from 3.11 grams (mint standard) to 2.28 grams - 0.83 grams or over 26% of the original mass (significant change). This would be like cutting out ¼ section of a standard coin - think about it for a little bit.

Diameter - symmetrical decrease from 0.749 to 0.738 (0.011 loss) about 1% (insignificant change).

The rim width on a common 1957 LC is 0.030. The rim width on this suspect coin is about 0.024 - 0.025 wide, but difficult to measure with a caliper as the rim's inside corner is filleted with black material and the outside corner is no longer sharp and is radiused as is the reverse.

It can be surmised that it would be difficult to start as a Roosevelt silver dime planchet since those start at 0.703 OD, so the rim width would be compromised or reduced in some manner.

Thickness - decrease from 0.059 to 0.048 (0.011 loss) over 18% (significant change).

Sidebar discussions:
I evenly lapped the thickness of a corroded Wheat cent (ended up being a 1937) to 0.048 and the detail is almost non-existent - the remaining raised areas cannot be easily measured but possibly 0.001 to 0.002 by feel only. Please see the new photos included. At this thickness, the copper planchet weighs 2.86 grams a decrease of 0.25 grams over standard (8% - minor significance). The suspect coin has most of the detail on the obverse, as well as the reverse (most obscured by built up corrosion, but slightly visible - see new photo).

Challenge for you - Take any object in existence and remove 25% of its mass - it will change dramatically in form, fit, and/or functionality. If you can do so without a major change, then I applaud you for breaking the law (of Physics). This coin outside of the obvious moderate pitting and corrosive buildup is relatively intact.

I guess it might be possible Rick Moranis had this coin in his pocket while filming Honey, I Shrunk the Kids or Dr. Manhattan did so when trapped in the "intrinsic field" while filming Watchmen. Otherwise, I cannot guess how else it trans-mutated - it is a platypus of sorts, but in coin form - possibly even a unicorn.

Please enlighten me with something substantial. And to any naysayers; bring your evidence to light to explain how this coin is as it is, and not any empty words.

Looks like a heavily damaged copper coin to me.
Please let us know what the TPG says.

Daves Errors

I just ordered a Wonder Woman "lasso of truth" from Amazon for $9.95 (those guys have it all) to tame and secure that unicorn.

Cheers

Why not just quit beating around the bush and send your coin in for authentication? It's real easy to resolve this: submission form, envelope, 2 1/2 x 2 1/2 flip, payment! Go to post office. Wait about a month. Coin comes back. Answer received!

As far as I'm concerned all you are doing now is just wasting everyone's time.