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 Replies: 25 / Views: 9,127 |
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New Member
United States
1 Posts |
I found a 1944 steel penny in a house I bought back in September of 2014. I did some research and found that I needed to weight it and check to see if it is magnetic. I checked it with a magnet and it does stick to the magnet. I then weighed it and it weighs 2.79 grams. I have attached pictures of the front and back. I would appreciate any comments about it's value.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7613 Posts |
You might as well send it in for professional authentication and grading. Until that happens the coin for all intent and purpose will be deemed to have "questionable authenticity".
The value, if genuine, is a lot.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1475 Posts |
It is highly unlikely a $100,000 penny would have been left around in your house by the previous house owner. How about a close up pictures of front and back.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
634 Posts |
Thank you for doing the proper research and checking the weight.  With *quality* pictures, we could help you out. If genuine, it is worth a lot. I assume you know this, but no cleaning or scratching of the coin in question. Keep it in a safe place. oh, and  to the forum! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
to the forum! Is that rust or Copper showing through? A Steel cent should weigh 2.7 grams. You could do a home specific gravity test on it, which is fairly accurate. The directions for such a test can be found here: http://www.lincolncentsonline.com/C...%20Zinc.htmlEdited by cwb
05/18/2017 11:23 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5324 Posts |
Find a large coin or bullion store with an XRF and asked if they will xray it for you
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
12477 Posts |
Excellent walk-through cwb!  Thanks for the weight and magnetism info stevenswld! That saves a lot of back-and-forth here. To me, those red spots look like rust. If it were copper, that suggests a zinc-plated (or nickel-plated for the magnetism) copper cent that would weigh more. However, the specific gravity test mentioned above is definitely the next step before spending money on TPGs. It seems you already have a scale capable of reading 1/100g. The rest is simple if you follow the link's instructions. The only thing I'm concerned about is that if it is a steel cent with existing rust, take care to dry it after dipping in water. Don't wipe it. Either dab with a clean cloth or better yet, maybe use a hairdryer (no heat, just air). After that, make sure it's stored in a dry, cool and safe place. This would certainly be an extraordinary find! In Memory of Crazyb0 12-26-1951 to 7-27-2020
In Memory of Tootallious 3-31-1964 to 4-15-2020
In Memory of T-BOP 10-12-1949 to 1-19-2024
Edited by spru
05/19/2017 12:01 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
883 Posts |
You are one of a very few to have found such a rare coin in the last 72 years or so. You absolutely need to follow the advice on this forum and pay the cost to send it in for validation once you have determined that it is not a fake copy. I am pretty sure no one here will buy it until it is validated.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4911 Posts |
the coin is absolutely counterfeiter..the extreme lack of detail in Lincoln, missing design elements in his coat and throat, as well and the mushy look, the odd rims and high state of preservation all lead me to conclude it is a Chinese counterfeit and not a good one at that..better pictures will help the community assist you.
Feel free to call me Will.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
I agree that it doesn't look real. Question what does the edge look like? Can you see the layers of zinc and steel or is it all one color?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5828 Posts |
I vote fake as well, die struck counterfiet.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3463 Posts |
During 1944, the mint used the same planchets that were used the previous year to strike the 1943 Steel cents, to stike foreign coins. This could be the reason the 1944 Steel cents exist, it could simply be a case of a US cent struck on a foreign planchet. A big BUT here, collectors don't seem to let this fact affect the price of the 1944 Steel cents, they are priced as a transitional error being struck on 1943 Steel planchets. Quote:12. The 1944 Belgium 2 franc coins were struck at the US mint using the same planchets used for the 1943 Steel Lincoln cents. http://www.lincolncentsonline.com/I...20Facts.html  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7613 Posts |
I am going to say that your story "of found in a house I bought in 2014" is most likely bogus. If you truly researched it over the past 3 years you'd have discovered that the coin ---IF REAL --- was worth a lot of money. You would have by now figured out that you needed professional expertise in authenticating and marketing of your very valuable coin. If it was real it would have been sent in for authentication a long time ago. So you now magically show up here, almost 3 years after "finding" your valuable coin looking for help? That doesn't make sense. I'd bet 10$ to a donut that your coin originally came from some sidestreet vendor in China. Sorry, but that's fhe way I see it.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Agree, fake. to the CCF! |
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
10743 Posts |
Sorry, stevenwld but, I agree with westernsky.
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Forum Dad
 United States
24148 Posts |
Quote:
So you now magically show up here, almost 3 years after "finding" your valuable coin looking for help He didn't say he found it in 2014, he said he bought the house in 2014. |
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Replies: 25 / Views: 9,127 |
Posted 05/18/2017 10:35 pm
