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 Replies: 43 / Views: 5,786 |
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Valued Member
United States
135 Posts |
How do you feel about the steel cent? Do you like them? Were they a bad idea?  |
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Moderator
 United States
14463 Posts |
I won an auction recently of steel cents that were not high quality, and I have been using them in store purchases.  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
4591 Posts |
Not a fan for two reasons...
One is the common one, yes there was a war on, but the zinc plated steel got nasty pretty quickly.
The second is the numistmatic one - because of #1, so many have been replated, giving that fake shiny look. I really prefer my coins to have an honest circulation wear.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
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Do you like them? I like the originals not the re-plated ones. I would like to own a ms67 or higher one day. Quote:
Were they a bad idea? No more so than the copper plated zinc cents from 1982- John1  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Blemish free MS examples are nice looking with good to great eye appeal . Unfortunately when they circulated they turned a medium to dark grey . A lot of them start to rust as the zinc starts to wear away .Not very pretty ! The fact that their only a one year composition makes them unique and desirable amongst Lincoln collectors . As John points out a lot of them were reprocessed ( replated ) making them loose their appeal and value . I have about a dozen nice Mint State 43's exhibiting all mints . And with NO exaggeration about 3,000 circs. At least 60% of which have no trace of rust .  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
One year types are a must have for type set collectors. They are also part of the ever popular Lincoln series. Plus, there are those who complete coin sets of all the coins issued during WW2. So they are needed in two strong collector sets, and one less commonly assembled. But - Like the 1883 No Cent Liberty nickel, they are so easy to find in righteous mint state, that their price pressure begins at MS 67 and better. As far as value is concerned, their abundance is such that none of us will live long enough to see much price change, except in the very highest grades. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I have well over 4,000 of them. Many rolls of Uncirs. Also, trying to make complete rolls of each of the different types of replates. For example some are replated with Zinc, some with Tin, with Chrome and even Copper. What I don't like about them is how they break the continuity when in an Album. All Copper looking then those, then back to Copper looking. Almost tempted to Copper Plate some just for Albums. And for value, probably will never really be worth a lot.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
1. Yes I like them.
2. Yes they were a bad idea. The two are not mutually exclusive.
Problem is I'm not sure if they had a better option. No matter what they chose to use they would have had serious problems. Most better metals were either restricted or too valuable. those that weren't were either too light, or corroded too easily. Plastic was too light except for certain resins, but those were also restricted. I think with a little more time they might have gotten the glass to work, somewhat, but chipping would still have been a problem.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
Many states used plastic sales tax tokens without difficulty and they held up better than the metal issues. It is very rare to find a plastic STT that shows wear, regardless of which of the three manufacturers produced them.
They may not have wanted to use a material for a cent when states were using them for 1, 2, 3, and 5 Mills (a mill being worth 1/10th of one cent).
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4233 Posts |
I like them as something unique, and I don't know how to classify it as a "bad idea". They did what they had to do. Quote:
reprocessed ( replated ) making them loose their appeal and value I don't mind the plated ones when they turn out like this.  |
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
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1. Yes I like them.
2. Yes they were a bad idea. The two are not mutually exclusive. Agreed. The ones in my Lincoln Dansco are circulated and not reprocessed. I like how they look with the circulated copper around them. The one in my 7070 is reprocessed; which came from a set that Littleton sent me with an order back in the 80s (I was like twelve, so no judging). It looks okay next to a red Memorial cent and has more sentimental value than anything. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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Many states used plastic sales tax tokens without difficulty and they held up better than the metal issues. But sales tax tokens didn't have to work in vending machines. I haven't checked the references but I think most of the states had stopped using sales tax tokens by 1943 hadn't they? OK I checked and I was mistaken. Of the twelve states that issued tokens ten were still using them in 1943. Edited by Conder101
06/22/2018 12:34 pm
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Pillar of the Community
5464 Posts |
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Do you like them? Yes, it's a part of our history. Quote:
Were they a bad idea? They were the perfect idea! They are a distinct symbol of America's war effort and how it pulled us together as a nation. Steel was the only war material we had plenty of. Everything else was rationed. BTW: Could you please show us a picture of that entire slab? Edited by USSID18
06/22/2018 2:01 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
24885 Posts |
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Do you like steel cents?
Of course..   Rescue coin* Edited by Dorado
06/22/2018 2:19 pm
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
Of course, they're rusty, crusty and old...just like me!
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Pillar of the Community
7234 Posts |
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Replies: 43 / Views: 5,786 |
Posted 06/21/2018 06:04 am
