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 Replies: 30 / Views: 15,697 |
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
Okay, so my father has recently gotten me interested in coin collecting. He works part time at a grocery store as a cashier so he sees more than his fair share of coins in a given day. When he first got me into it, he was telling me about the common varieties of coins as well as the rare ones and iconic ones. I am a huge WWII buff and he said he would keep his eye out for a 1943 steel cent.
So a couple of days later he came home and said that I had to check this out. He said that at first he thought he had a 1943 steel cent but then he realized it was 1986 and later, that it didn't stick to a magnet.
Of course, me being new to this, I looked up what it could be.
The possible explanations include that it was probably plated in a science experiment, or had its copper removed, or was the product of a mint error.
So firstly I looked to see if it were a penny that had been struck on a dime planchet. No luck, the design wasn't cut off and it wasn't the size of a dime.
Secondly, I checked to see if its copper had not been fully articulated, or if the copper had been chemically removed leaving the zinc core behind. This is where the conundrum comes into play. If there were no copper and it was just the zinc core it would weigh less than a real penny, correct? It doesn't. I took it to my physics class and it weighed exactly 2.5g. Plus, It couldn't have been plated, for if it had it would have weighed more than 2.5g.
Just now I checked the dimensions of the coin vs another modern penny. With my blind eye, it looks just the same dimensions.
How could this be? What do I have? I can only think of two things, one, that it was de-plated then re-plated but what are the odds that the new metal would come back at the same weight and dimensions of a normal penny? That leaves something that m friend said, that you can change the material of the first two layers of atoms of a sheet of metal. Sounded like BS to me but that's the only explanation.
This has been bugging me for days, can anyone help?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
807 Posts |
There is only a few milligrams of copper plating on a zinc cent. The tolerance in mass is at least that much. So, it's entirely possible that a heavy piece got its plating stripped off, leaving it at 2.500 grams.
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New Member
 United States
8 Posts |
2.5% of the modern penny is copper and the atomic masses of both elements are near identical, Cu at ~63 and Zn at ~65. That would conclude to a noticeable change in mass.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
784 Posts |
Sounds intriguing! Can you post some good pics of this bad boy? I'm ready for some of the experts to weigh in here so I can learn.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Nobody can say anything useful until you post a picture.
Edited by amida17
08/23/2013 9:07 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
For a silver looking penny for an incorrect year (especially a modern one) my first guess is always a silver plated penny. Thers some companies out there that sell silver/gold/platinum/a combination of the three pennies.
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
I'm working on getting some images now. I don't have the best quality camera on me right now but it's quite clear.
It cannot be plated, for it weighs just as much as a normal one not to mention the same dimensions.
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
I doubt you'll be able to get anything from these but here they are.   I don't think pictures will do much considering most of my concern isn't cosmetic. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Quote:
I doubt you'll be able to get anything from these Quote:
considering most of my concern isn't cosmetic From the pics it appears to have lustre. Meaning, It was struck on an unplated planchet. BUT, Errors are not my strength....so wait for the experts. |
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
I never thought about that. Cool. I'm new to this forum system, how do I quote?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2805 Posts |
Atomic weight has nothing at all to do with density - radon has a higher atomic mass than tungsten, but tungsten is (of course) much denser.
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
Well the density of Copper is 8.96g/ml and the density of Zinc is 7.13g/ml so I guess that further supports my theory.
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Valued Member
United States
189 Posts |
Bring to a local coin shop and ask an expert!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Quote:
2.5% of the modern penny is copper and the atomic masses of both elements are near identical, Cu at ~63 and Zn at ~65. That would conclude to a noticeable change in mass.
Partially correct but you are making the wrong assumptions that the entire 2.5% Cu content is in the plating and that all cents weigh exactly 2.5 grams. The core is 0.8% Cu and the tolerance of a Zincoln is +/-0.1 grams which is a 4% variance. However, your pictures are intriguing as the coin appears to actually show luster. That is important because a plated coin will be shiny but will not show the radial flow lines that are formed on a struck coin and are responsible for luster. That leaves the possibility that you may have a genuine unplated cent error, better pictures would help to make that determination. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2815 Posts |
Wow. I'm intrigued as well.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1195 Posts |
fascinating!  |
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Replies: 30 / Views: 15,697 |
Posted 08/23/2013 9:03 pm
