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 Replies: 17 / Views: 5,855 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
Purchased two half penny rolls from the 1950s off ebay several weeks ago. The coins were all dated prior to 1957 with several with dates ranging from 1919-1958. One of the coins immediately caught my attention because of its silver color. I've shown it to several 30+ year collectors who have never seen a Lincoln Cent like this. Interested in your expert opinions. I'm preparing to send the coin off to PCGS this weekend and have it evaluated/graded. In the picture below you'll see a 1944 Lincoln and also the 1942 D in question.   |
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New Member
United States
7 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
 to CCF. Weight? Please let us know PCGS says. John1  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1667 Posts |
Not to rain on anyone's parade or tell you what it is or isn't off of a picture, just my experience. I stored new cents in mint tins about 20 years ago and they all discolored like this. They got lighter and took on either a silver appearance or a golden appearance depending on the tin it was in. I don't know if it's the container leaching a metal to the cent or what was in the container(the mints and a chemical) that did it but that's my experience and what I think is going on here. I call it Mint tin toning.
Could be an off metal coin though anything is possible.
Edited by Big-Kingdom
04/24/2019 06:54 am
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6514 Posts |
Could also be plated with another metal. It was a common high school science experiment back in the day to plate copper cents. Nickel, mercury, tin, silver to name just a few.
Check out my counterstamped Lincoln Cent collection: http://goccf.com/t/303507 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
I'm guessing plated. Until you've fact-checked the other possibilities, spending money to send it to PCGS seems premature.  to the CCF! |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Start with the basics ; is it attracted to a magnet ? Lightly or heavily attracted ? Weight ? Keep us informed before you send it in ,we might be able to save you some money .  |
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Valued Member
United States
110 Posts |
should be very basic evaluation.
cu: 3.1 grams
alum: 0.96 grams
silver: 3.6 grams
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Try checking it with a magnet. I do not think it's silver or Tin or anything else. I too think if anything, plated. Sending to PCGS would be costly and more than likely a waste of money. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
73848 Posts |
To CCF! Probably just a plated coin most likely. Don't send it to a TPG, as it would be a huge waste of time and money. It would cost more to get it graded, than what the coin is actually worth. Errers and Varietys.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Better pictures would help. Take pictures of the coin by itself....and cropped. The reverse doesn't appear to be plated, looks to just be toning or been subjected to heat. Zinc has a lower melting point than copper and tends to the surface when heated. Take a torch and heat one, it will turn silver.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Moderator
United States
187894 Posts |
to the Community! |
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
  As you can see by the pics, I weighed the 1944 Copper Penny and 1942D Penny in question. The Silver looking penny weighed 3.17g, which is 0.07g more than the Copper Penny. I also checked the Silver looking penny 1942D with a strong magnet and it was unaffected. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Pretty much confirms plating. |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
Thanks for all the expert opinions. Since the weight is close to a Copper penny, I won't submit to PCGS.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Good decision. |
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Replies: 17 / Views: 5,855 |
Posted 04/24/2019 04:40 am
