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 Replies: 11 / Views: 4,214 |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
I have a mint condition 1981 d all zinc cent with no copper plating. It is clean, no bumps etc. I know that zinc cents were minted starting 1982 so could this be an experimental cent?
Thanks!
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
 to CCF. Pics please. Sounds plated after leaving mint.Weight? John1  Edited by John1
02/19/2017 07:53 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1601 Posts |
to the CCF. We do need those pictures, even if they are cell phone pics. The weight is important for establishing if the coin is mostly copper, as it should be, or possibly some other metal. In the meantime, describe exactly what the coin looks like. Is it black or grey, does it have a sheen or is it dull, et cetera? |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
11951 Posts |
 Weight? Copper cents weigh more than zinc cents. Knowing the weight is the first step. Edited by GR58
02/19/2017 08:41 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
to the forum! Need to weigh it  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1000 Posts |
My impression upon reading titles similar to your is always, "Nope, it's plated!" But it would be useful to have pictures to judge by. Like everyone else mentioned, weighing it is a sure way to tell. I have not heard of experimental cents in 1981, just the famed aluminum ones of 1974.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
Quote:
I have not heard of experimental cents in 1981 The mint did experiment with a new composition for the cent in 1981. I know of no experimental cents that ever made it out of the mint and I do not know what they were made of. I am sure some of them were Zinc, because that is what they decided on for the new cents. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1000 Posts |
Thanks, cwb! I figured one of you cents guys would let me know!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
and yes, pics would help as well as others have mentioned...the weight. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3058 Posts |
Pictures and the weight is the key to your question!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
Quote:
Thanks, cwb! I figured one of you cents guys would let me know! One coin found in the 1990's was supposedly an experimental cent of 1980's. It was Nickel plated Zinc. When this coin was sent to the mint for authentication, it was discovered that it was an altered coin, not minted that way. I hear about people finding silver colored 1981 cents quite often, but I have never seen any of them that were genuine experimental cents. Most of them get plated outside of the mint or something done to them to alter their appearance. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Any transitional test coins from 1981 would have been minted at Philadelphia, not Denver.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 4,214 |
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Posted 02/19/2017 08:30 am
