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 Replies: 12 / Views: 11,293 |
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Valued Member
Canada
109 Posts |
Hello everyone, Just have a quick question , does anyone know if they made a 1983 Lincoln Penny no mint mark brass plated? I have a penny I found today in my jar collection that has a yellowish tone not copper it weighs 2.5 grams so it's zinc but the colour is a bit off to me compared to my other 1983 Lincoln pennies. Here is the photo below. Thanks everyone happy weekend.   |
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Rest in Peace
10197 Posts |
Remember the alloy used to plate these is actually Bronze, a mix of 95% copper and 5% zinc and a few other trace elements. If the zinc is increased or a bit of trace manganese/tin is there, it changes toward the Brass spectrum of alloy. They also naturally tone this way for some reason. Remember, these are plated by contractor, and this was the early stages where production was just ramping up, quality controls...?
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Moderator
 United States
34423 Posts |
Quote:
They also naturally tone this way for some reason.  Could be the start of some environmental toning even if the alloy was spot on the mark. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
74481 Posts |
Errers and Varietys.
Edited by Errers and Varietys
09/15/2018 4:45 pm
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
There are known brass plated cents,but yours does not look yellow enough to me. John1  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
95% copper 5% zinc is a brass not a bronze. And they are supposed to be plated with pure copper. And when the plating solution is fresh they are. But with every batch of planchets plated the solution becomes more and more contaminated with zinc and the plating becomes a brass plating. The longer the solution is used before it is changed the higher the zinc content in the plating becomes. So other than the first batch of planchets in a fresh solution ALL Zinc Lincolns have a brass plating. The only question is how much zinc is in the brass. Sometimes they don't get the solution changed before the planchets start taking on a decided yellow color.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
Great description Condor101  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8715 Posts |
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Valued Member
 Canada
109 Posts |
Thanks Conder101 that was very useful ... And thanks everyone for answering my question ..
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
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Valued Member
Canada
109 Posts |
@john1 thank you for sharing that link after looking at my coin and comparing it to the 1985 coin the tone is strikingly similar
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7512 Posts |
Conder101, Thank you for a great description and a very useful information.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Yes, great input and appreciated.
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Replies: 12 / Views: 11,293 |
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Posted 09/15/2018 4:28 pm
