Illinois Sesquicentennial 1968-D Penny

that is very interesting, never seen one like that before.
Is the cent thicker than normal?
Does it weigh a little more than normal?

I think it is a counterstamped genuine 1968 cent.

If an organization was to put out a token I don't think they would have bothered to put a D mintmark on it.

Also note the orientation between the obeverse and reverse (using the staples on the 2 x 2 as a guide)

The reverse is not coin nor medal oriation. It is 90 degrees rotated.

Now how they managed not to distort the details on the obverse while stamping of pressing it baffles me.

Yeah, that's the fascinating part. Obviously not Mint work, that much is known, but I can't see how they'd get such a strong strike without messing up the obverse.

Personally I think it's a beautiful piece. Don't know about the value but if it were in my collection I wouldn't get rid of it. Keeper for sure to me.

The more I look at it, the more I'm thinking this was assemebled the same way one would make a Magician's coin--take a genuine 1968 cent, grind off one half, and attach a custom reverse. The strike is way too strong on the reverse to have simply been pressed in, given how nice the obverse looks.

It probably wouldn't be worth anything except to a collector of such novelties, but I'd say that's a keeper for sure!

Thanks for all the feedback...I am half tempted to open it up. I actually can't believe I never did as a kid lol. Sure wish someone could identify this I really want to know the history on this.

Thanks Conder101, with 8,106 post I tend to believe you know your stuff.

Pull the staples.

Take a better pick of the obverse and reverse rims and an edge shot.

That will help rule out or conclude all of the previous theories posted.

You can always restaple the original 2 X 2 back shut.