1983 USA Cents - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 7 / Views: 1,531
ace_ftw Pillar of the Community Canada 1747 Posts	Posted 12/10/2014 6:31 pm Hi guys, I need some clarification, as I am searching through penny rolls (up in Canada) I am pulling out all of the 1983 cents. I am weighing them to see if I won the lottery and found a Copper Cent. knowing that the copper cents should weigh in at 3.1g (+-) and the Zincolns weigh in at 2.5 (+-) What by chance would I have when they weigh in at 1.8g or 1.9g I have found 3 that are "D" mint marks, and are considerably under weight (by about 25%). they are not full of zinc rot, and are in excellent condition. (I am sorry I don't have images) Is there a third planchet that was used other than the copper or zinc/plate? I read somewhere that there were cupronickel cents but I did not find out what years or what they weighed. what do you guys think these are? I have weighed and re-weighed them several times, on both sides of the coin, and they always come up the same. email Report this Post to the Staff

The Silver Searcher Pillar of the Community United States 1388 Posts	Posted 12/10/2014 6:45 pm There were some cents struck in aluminium in 1974. The only planchets used in the early 80's were zinc and copper. Report this Post to the Staff
ace_ftw Pillar of the Community Canada 1747 Posts	Posted 12/11/2014 10:55 am As I mentioned I do not see anything different with these coins from the others I was weighing. Report this Post to the Staff
BadThad Bedrock of the Community United States 19935 Posts	Posted 12/11/2014 11:35 am That is outside of Mint tolerances, I'd first check your balance calibration. Lincoln Cent Lover! VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/ Report this Post to the Staff
ace_ftw Pillar of the Community Canada 1747 Posts	Posted 12/11/2014 12:24 pm I reset the calibration, and as mentioned reweighed the coins on both sides multiple times. I even switched from a copper cent weighing 3.1g back to these, just to make sure. I was weighing about 100 of these 83's so these really stuck out. Report this Post to the Staff
Conder101 Bedrock of the Community United States 17884 Posts	Posted 12/11/2014 12:33 pm No they only used those two planchets. Your coins a seriously underweight. They must be copper plated zinc, but the zinc strip must have been rolled too thin. Report this Post to the Staff
just carl Bedrock of the Community United States 20753 Posts	Posted 12/11/2014 4:15 pm Sort of a great question. Possibly try that http://www.coppercoins.com web site. The person there has 2 books out on the Lincoln Cent. Or try the Licolncentresource web site. You may really have something of value. Errors like that by weight are not to common so if true, might have a good one. OR the Chinese have now gone to counterfeiting our Pennies. Actually, why not. You could pass off fake ones so easily. Even banks would take them with no questions asked. Why you could even buy a car with enough of those. Trouble is I would think even in China, the material would cost more than it's worth. Report this Post to the Staff
CelticKnot Bedrock of the Community United States 12815 Posts	Posted 12/11/2014 4:45 pm Did you try the "ring" test? That's usually a very good indicator of copper vs zinc. Report this Post to the Staff
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