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 Replies: 13 / Views: 1,448 |
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Valued Member
Sweden
79 Posts |
Hello all. I was wondering if anyone could tell me more about this 1983 cent. I'm considering buying it from an online auction so this is the only pic available. The auction describes it as a zinc cent. I've googled it but nothing exactly the same shows up. Is this one of those so-called transitional errors from the cent composition change? Thanks! Any help is appreciated. Image:  1983.jpg31.34 KB |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2254 Posts |
Let me start by saying that I think you're doing the correct thing here. In asking the question that is. While I can't help with this exact coin, I would recommend the following: 1. Research the sellers feedback. 2. Research the buyer and sellers of this seller above also. 3. Post pics here and hope for Metalman or coppercoins et al to come to your aid with advice/suggestions. Since you have done #3, I would suggest doing some research on the seller to see if anything looks unusual. As always with ebay, check the return policy as well as any fine print in the auction. Hope this helps. |
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Valued Member
United States
116 Posts |
Hey Mynt,
After taking a second look at the pic I think the surface is to pitted to be real. It looks like it was removed with an acid of some kind.
Also my experience has been if you are selling something good you take good pictures. Bad images usually mean bad coins.
Michael
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Valued Member
 Sweden
79 Posts |
Thanks for the responses guys. I found out this type of error is more commonly referred to as an "unplated planchet" error. There are many search results available on the web. I was even able to find a topic or two in the forum. http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/..._ID=896#5019Now the tough part is determining if it's REAL. I requested clear pictures of the obverse and reverse from the seller. But I agree peachymargarita--the coin surface does look rather poor. I'll post any new pics that I receive. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
773 Posts |
Hi Mynt,
Looks like you've been given some good advice,especially regarding bad images.
I paid $7.00 for a quarter,that was supposed to be missing letters,IGWT,when I got it,it had actually been tampered with by the seller.
Lesson learned.
:) sn31.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I would say it looks like it was dipped in some acid also, that was my first impression when I first looked at the pictures
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
There is no way to determine what happened to the cent or how it came to be missing the plating,, These type of coins are easily faked . If this was a real mint error I would think that the seller would have enough brains to have it authenticated by a TPG and make it worth while to sell ,,Why sell a coin for a few bucks that when authenticated could bring better than a hundred ? . Run do not walk away from this coin. Metalman |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2254 Posts |
quote:
Run do not walk away from this coin.
 Not sure anything else has to be said. |
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Valued Member
United States
117 Posts |
To me it looks like it has been sitting in dirt. I live on the coast, and the zinc cents exposed to ocean water (a positive ground) will pit, causing cladding to bubble, and the zinc will disintegrate. (This is why zincs are used on ocean boats, as the zinc will be attacked, and the the boats other metals).
But the pict. does look like maybe there is a die break/break (?)
Metalman, some of haven't ventured into the next step of having things graded professionally, usually due to un-surety of what is worth sending in for the prices that are charged - and are happy to receive just something for our finds. Doesn't make us crooked, or unintelligent.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
pennybright, The reason why it is so incredibly important to have an error like this certifed is due to the fact that they can be easily faked(passible enough from a photo) but are very rare if real. Even if it was real, the seller would only get a fraction of the real value out of it if uncertified because of lingering doubt over authenticity.. Here is a real one Fred Weinberg(major error dealer) is selling: http://cgi.ebay.com/1994-LINCOLN-1-...GS_W0QQitemZ a href= https://www.coincommunity.com/go/link.asp?target=https://www.ebay.com/itm/-/160090364728 target= _blank rel= nofollow 160090364728 /a QQihZ006QQcategoryZ524QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem Edited by biokemist6
03/05/2007 5:53 pm
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Valued Member
United States
117 Posts |
Gotcha - my mind just does not work in a crook mode, and I forget they are are out there. Sigh, what did mom used to say; "one bad apple spoils the bunch"...Pretty sad. But I understand what you are saying.
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Valued Member
Sweden
79 Posts |
Update: Seller claims the auction picture is "pretty good" and offered to send "the coins" to me.  If I liked it, I could pay for it. Ok, I'm running-- not walking from this one. Thanks for the good advice everyone. Coin was selling for $5 bucks. Metalman-- here in Sweden, coin certification is still uncommon as there are no major certification/grading companies that operate in Scandinavia (none even in Europe as far as I know). The graded ones that do end up here are mostly PCGS... but I even saw a slabbed SGS MS70  for sale yesterday... ick. For the most part, I guess it's not really cost effective to ship coins halfway around the world to be graded...
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
quote:
Metalman, some of haven't ventured into the next step of having things graded professionally, usually due to un-surety of what is worth sending in for the prices that are charged - and are happy to receive just something for our finds. Doesn't make us crooked, or unintelligent.
Ummmm My collection is 100% Raw !! I do not use the Grading services and only suggest that they be used for purposes of authentication ,, of the commonly counterfeited,faked,altered coins and errors. I have a half a dozen cents on my desk right now that are missing the plating ,, I know how some of them came to be ,, and I will have a good Idea of the others in the coming days ,,my guess at this point is all are altered coins ,, either environmentally or chemically ,, Metalman |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7629 Posts |
With the picture provided it is impossible to tell whether the coin in question was missing the copper plating at the time it left the mint. With that to wit, I wouldn't touch it. If the seller wanted to sell the coin to a knowledgeable collector they would have done a decent job of imaging it.
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Replies: 13 / Views: 1,448 |
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1983.jpg
Posted 03/04/2007 5:36 pm
