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 Replies: 14 / Views: 4,986 |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Hello Coin Community, My name is William, 22 years old, and I just recently found my new interest in collecting coins. There's something about having an old coin in my hands and knowing that a particular coin has in it an instilled historical value, while existing and surviving so many years (even though it's just a piece of metal). Like many coin collectors (according to my knowledge) I was first drawn to wheat pennies and from then on went to exploring the wide varieties of amazing American coins. Recently, maybe about a week ago, my mom handed me a mini chest of coins she collected over the years. She collected all sorts of coins, many wheat pennies and a variety of silver dollars, quarters, and nickels. However this one partIcular Wheat penny (1939) I came across my mother's collection, and according to my knowledge, is completely unusual. I spent much time on the Internet looking through different of errors than can be present on wheat pennies, and I simply cannot find anything like the one my mother has. I just cannot explain it and rather let the pictures explain it for themselves. I would greatly appreciate it from the coin community to take a look at it and give me you guys' opinion and what story the penny could possibly be telling. **Note: The detailing of the wheat grain (the vertical streaks) are consistent from the normal part of the penny, through the "error" part, and back to the normal part of the penny (starting from the bottom of the wheat grain and then going up).** Much Love, William    |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
 to the CCF!! Unfortunetly, your coin looks to me like a case of PMD, or "Post Mint Damage", not really worth too much over face. |
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New Member
 United States
4 Posts |
Thanks for welcome and for the straight forward answer. I always try to keep a realistic outview. I'm really enjoying the coin community forums, there some great stuff people are posting and really helpful responses from fellow community members.
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Rest in Peace
United States
7075 Posts |
That is the weirdest damage I've seen ...it's a puzzler. I cannot figure out how the raised bumps appeared. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
It may have been put into a vise and the holes in the vise plate left the copper raised in that area and pressed downwards on the areas where the plate was raised. |
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Moderator
 United States
54282 Posts |
FREE UNSOLICITED ADVICE.
Do not handle coins with your bare hands, or at LEAST only handle them by the edges. With this coin, well, it may not matter much, but the oils from your hands can damage/tarnish coins.
*WELCOME TO CCF*
Show your financial support of the Coin Community Family (click here)See my topic on Mexican Numismatic Medals (click here) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2563 Posts |
 The oils on your hand can really mess up a coin. But, it looks like someone had a fun day damaging a nice Wheat cent.  |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Thanks for the advise guys. I'll make sure in the future to handle coins more properly and try not to handle them with my bare hands at all. Quick question, and I know this may be a dumb question, but would be the best way to capture good quality pictures of coins because the camera on my iPhone is not doing much justice? I've been seeing really good close up pictures of coins and it seems like people been taking professional pictures of them. So pertaining to the Wheat penny I posted, is it just an ordinary penny? I've been getting different responses from people in real life and from the few posts on this thread. Once again I gotta say, the coin community is awesome! |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
It looks like an ordinary cent from images provided. But the damage removes most of the collectability of your coin. Something you can learn from your damaged coin; Note the outside edge of the coin? Note in the area where is was altered the rim is out of round in that area. a sure sign of damage on your coin. Also the rim is flattened in that area. another sign of damage. Not only are oils bad for a coin from your hands, but salt from sweat. This will leave a mark that you can't see on the surface of a BU coin, but in time that area will show a finger print. This can't be removed with out ruining the color of your coin. (especially on an uncirculated coin. What do finger prints look after a while like on a coin?    They can reduce value of a coin. I bought a coin from a store and the guy told me a story of the coin I purchased that they coin was found with a piece of wire still attached to the coin. He mentioned that when he touched the wire it fell off. Well I wasn't sure if I believed that or not. I bought the coin and after a few years I noticed there was a fingerprint mark on the area where he touched the coin. Now it has a finger print on it.  So if someone had touched the face of the coin, then the wire and the fingerprint would still be there (wire) not there (fingerprint). So always hold coins by the edge or wear gloves on BU (Brilliant Uncirculated) or Proof coins. As for images. I use a microscope to take images of close up shots and full shots of cents/dimes. I take a lot of micro-photos of coins. They are used for teaching aids. I use a camera with a Macro feature on the camera. I take the images through the scope barrel. Works for me.  Welcome to CCF. You are among a group of coin brothers that will help you anyway they can. Looking forward to the threads you create. |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Coop your explanation is very helpful, and I'll be sure to keep these tips/advice in mind in the future. Once again thanks. I want to show you guys this other Wheat penny I found in my mother's collection, and figured to post it up on this thread and not make a new one. Note took this the same time I took this Wheat penny I posted, which is before I knew not to hold coins in my bare hands. Take a look at it guys and tell me what you think. Note the surface on the back of the penny is raised.   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
Again that is damage. The coin was pressed with something making a crease on the obverse and a raised area on the reverse also flattening the devices on the reverse. The torture people put coins through.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
853 Posts |
I bought a magnetic macro lense for my iPhone for less than $3. I can take close ups like this with it:  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
Looks good Jay. Now if you could remove the glare a bit with some diffusing, you'd got it going on!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
901 Posts |
With my eyesight I like errors easy to sea  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
558 Posts |
FinderWilliam has a connective tissue disorder & is double jointed. (Me too)
It's not everyday that someone sees this on a coin forum!!
How cool!
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Replies: 14 / Views: 4,986 |
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Posted 05/11/2016 7:27 pm
