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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,820 |
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Valued Member
United States
303 Posts |
 I expect lincolns to look like the one on the right. What would make the one on the left so much lighter in color? Both have nice luster, and the lighter one has some toning. Just curious...
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
It was probably dipped. John 1 
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Valued Member
 United States
303 Posts |
Makes sense... I could see a quick dip changing the color without killing the luster...
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Valued Member
Canada
458 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2270 Posts |
A lot of the SMS cents are lighter colored than others. I have no clue what causes it but it very well could be something in the washing process at the mint.
Time don't fly, it bounds and leaps.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Chemically treated in some day.
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Moderator
 United States
187914 Posts |
Interesting. Thank you for posting the pair for comparison, instead of just the one in question.
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Valued Member
 United States
303 Posts |
I figure it has to have been messed with... it just looks so different, but the luster is still there...
I'm also not sure if these are really sms coins, need to research sms markers...
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Higher zinc content or exposure to some heat. Take them out of 2x2's and take better pictures of BOTH sides.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Valued Member
 United States
303 Posts |
Thanks for the input! I will grab some better pics soon...
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Valued Member
 United States
303 Posts |
  These pretty accurately show the true color of the coins. Both are identified as "SMS" on the 2x2's.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
927 Posts |
The color differences are amazing. It almost looks like an off-metal strike.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Looks like heat exposure to me.
Experiment - Take a copper cent and heat it with a torch, see what happens.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Valued Member
 United States
303 Posts |
Ok. Took a torch to a 70's cent:  Doesn't look as nice, but has a similar light color... maybe with a little more finesse you could end up with something like the '65. Why you would want to do that I don't know...
Edited by SomethingIsFishy 10/27/2016 8:01 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Well, your SMS cent may not have been torched but it could have been hot enough over a long period of time to cause the zinc to migrate to the surface since it has a lower melting point than copper. Here's one I carefully heated: 
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Valued Member
 United States
303 Posts |
That looks very much like mine... I think we have the answer! Of course, now I wonder how it got that warm... if only coins could talk...
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,820 |