Back Of Silver 1973 D Cent Front & Reverse Any Thoughts?

A couple of thoughts:

First, you should always avoid physically altering a coin; can reduce the value or render it worthless.
Second, the members here will be able to offer you other tests/inspections that might help determine metallic content (as I've seen in other threads).

Weight of the coin is usually a quick indicator if the coin is of one metal or another. Copper pennies from that period are 3.1 grams. If plated, the weight might have only increased slightly, but given the 'file' test, plating may not be at hand here. Alternate materials would show different weights in most cases.

I'll leave that here for now; folks far savvier than me will chime in to help you figure out what you have. I would have guessed a plated novelty coin.

Thanks Rackster, I did have it weighed and it is heaver than a regular penny. I will re weigh again and post the actual weight. The cent seems solid material. I am just curious about the coin not interested in value, would be nice to know though. Most experts say its a coated cent but it certainly doenst seem to be. This came in a bag of new cents straight from the Denver mint - While working as a coinwrapper in a local bank, I received the coins and checked them in myself from the truck who deliveried. It is clearly not a 1974 Alum cent.

The only stopper to any thinking on the topic is that aluminum as a substitute for copper wasn't even proposed until months after the 1973 run was done striking. You worked at a Federal Reserve bank, right? Those were the only places the Mint shipped brand-new strikes then. If you weren't with the Federal Reserve, others had their hands on those coins before you.

I agree that it looks chromed. It is a nice looking coin though.

Thanks to all, the coin appears to be solid, when I filed it pretty deep the material didnt change (no color changes). As for the Alum cent, this isn't it. Chrome cent? never heard of a chorme cent. Again a plated coin should show through the edge if filed? Correct? The coin has unusal properties in the sense that it doesn't hold finger prints, doesn't tarnish and is tough as nails (really hard to scratch). I think Chrome isn't the correct assumption, chrome will mar and allow finger print and can scratch easily. just thoughts

Do you have a link for said article? You have permission to post it.

Regardless of anything, never, ever listen to people when they say to do anything to a coin as a test. By that I mean DO NOT scratch, mark, drill, bounce, etc. to a coin. Remember, one of the most important things about a coin is it's condition. Making a file mark, scratching, drilling and even finger prints really, really deminishes the value of any coin. May have well tried a welders torch or strong acid.
As to your coin. I too suspect it is plated with a Chromium type system. It really does have a bright shine which is sort of like pure Chrome. However, it is really unlikely it is a Mint error made from something at the Mint unless someone there has a sence of fun.
The best thing to do with such items is to spend a little and send to a TPGS. Might cost a bit but could end up rewarding yourself with a small fortune someday. In this instance, I'd first weigh it, try a strong magnet to see if attracted. It is interesting since it has such strong details which is uncommon for plated coins.