Interesting Find - 1980 Zinc Or ? Lincoln ?

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Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,371
Indian1 Pillar of the Community United States 3640 Posts	Posted 06/17/2012 6:27 pm Probably losing my marbles here, Again Was going through some coins that I found with my metal detector today. Rinsed off a dirty/slightly worn but not super horrible Lincoln Cent. Reason I noticed it's weight etc. is because it was a little dirty and before I rinsed it I weighed it just to tell if it was copper or not for my copper cache :) It's clearly an 80 and not an 88. Weighs in at exactly 2.5 grams (after the rinse and wipe) Now the really weird part. Drop test ring. Not even near either copper or zinc ring but sounds just like a silver dime. Also has that "in the ground for a while" look to it. Normal thickness and diameter and not enough wear or corrosion to lower it's weight by over half a gram. Or is that possible ? Logically it could not of been minted on a zinc. planchet unless the mint did a few test runs in 1980 and had the zinc stock already on hand. Or because of the ring to the coin another type of stock itself. Will get some pics. or scans up soon. Maybe nothing, maybe something. ? Happy Fathers Day all. Report this Post to the Staff

Indian1 Pillar of the Community United States 3640 Posts	Posted 06/17/2012 6:42 pm Think I solved my own mystery here. I stated that the thickness was normal. It is not. Both obv./rev. rims are worn down. Not flat but some. Maybe enough to reduce the weight of the coin by that half gram. And thus if the rims are worn when you drop the coin for a ring test it does not hit on that raised lip on the rim. Maybe that gives the coin a whole different ring tone. Report this Post to the Staff
Indian1 Pillar of the Community United States 3640 Posts	Posted 06/17/2012 7:01 pm Some pics. Obv. rims are not bad as far as wear. Rev. rims worn more but not flat. Report this Post to the Staff
CaptainFwiffo Pillar of the Community United States 4132 Posts	Posted 06/17/2012 7:34 pm Looks like it's corroded/worn enough to lose half a gram. Report this Post to the Staff
Indian1 Pillar of the Community United States 3640 Posts	Posted 06/17/2012 7:45 pm Must be. Curious to try a little test on another. Shave down the rims a tad then weigh it and also see if the drop ring tone is different. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 4 / Views: 1,371

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