Under weight is suspect, thats for sure. I dont have to the time to take a sander and a copper penny and try to remove the reverse until nothing is there and then weigh it, but it would give you a great reference point. You'd have to use 200 or higher grit sandpaper. probably 400 or higher if you can find any. Emery cloth would be best, but it may take a long time to get it close to the same condition.
If you have a Loupe or good magnification device, scrutinize the rim.
I am sure if it was a sanding job there would have to be some error in the process and the rim would get nicked by the sandpaper and leave some fime scratches. If they were really devious, they would have used Emery cloth. That would have left very little chance of scratches, but would have left alot of fime partical dust.
As with anythin else, the "good side" the Obverse may hold some evidence of foul play. You'd have to look along the rim for any sort of dust, as well as any letters that are enclosed, like the BR and maybe Y of LIBERTY and N GOD WE RUS of In God We Trust.
If they didnt completely clean the coin off the Reverse may have a very light powdery residue on the back. If you have a white napkin or stronger paper towel you might be able to lightly rub on the reverse to see of any residue comes off, and if you have a microscope see what that looks like.
You can use a bright overhead light and tilt that coin at a 45 degree angle, and look straight down from one side of the coin to the other to see if you can see any additional scratch lines. You'd be surprised what you can see if your eye level with an object and its slightly tilted. Its a practice I do under a microscope all the time.
The HA Uniface coin shows a very light obverse, which is probably related to a really really weak strike. That coin probably has hardly any reeded edge as well.
same with the PCGS coin, there is a hint of something there as well.....
With the coin in question on here, IS there anything at all on the Reverse thatwould point to the same thing? I bet the Uniface coins would come up to the correct weight tho........

Edited by Collector-Corner
11/01/2013 1:39 pm