| Author |
 Replies: 13 / Views: 1,664 |
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
3039 Posts |
|
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
Looks original, possible DDO on the date, I'm almost positive that that's an RPM |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
602 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3640 Posts |
Not positive on the doubling, but seeing as both the date and mintmark are doubled I would say Machine Doubling. If you look at the wheat stalk lines and they are not seperated (look clogged with zinc) and also if the outer rim looks as shiny as the rest of the coin it is a replated cent. Looks to be to me. Even on a genuine BU steel cent found today, there is usually a hint of rust on the outer rim edge. Reason being is that the blank planchet is coated with zinc. over the steel. Then it is punched and rimmed and this process removes a little of the zinc coating and exposes the steel to the elements. |
|
Rest in Peace
 United States
3039 Posts |
WOLF, many 1943 cents were polished or plated to give a new appearance. Indian, it's not a good photo. The wheat lines are actually sharp and uncluttered. Could they be that way with replating?   |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7629 Posts |
The original poster's cent is probably mercury coated - if it feels oily to any degree, it's mercury...and is very dangerous. Reprocessed cents are a little less obviously played with but still have a chrome-like appearance. Genuinely BU 1943 cents have the same luster and cartwheel effect of other BU cents - nothing different to the way they appear except for color alone. The anomalous stuff around the digits and mintmark on this coin is Die Deterioration, which happened very quickly in the die's life striking steel planchets. It is a very common occurrence whose appearance is magnified by the plating or coating on the coin. |
|
Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Thanks for your insights coppercoins but I have to ask why would anyone coat a steelie with mercury. Mercury is a heavy metal know to cause cancer. We actually believe that my wife's cancer a subsequent death was caused by exposure to mercury; it migrated to her wedding ring and she didn't tell anyone for 5 years. Is this a common ploy used by unscrupulous dealers?
Oh, and I forgot to ask if you'll be publishing any more of your books?
Edited by carmykle
08/12/2010 11:35 am
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
7629 Posts |
carmykle - The dangers of mercury have only been known for the past 20 or so years. Many of the coins coated in mercury were done like that 30-50 years ago. It was something "neat" back then.
The reason your coin was coated - probably because it was starting to rust (common for steel cents) and mercury covered up the imperfections. It also made it shiny silver again. People had more coins than brains a number of years ago, and a LOT of things were done to coins that are dangerous to not only the coins but to the people handling them. Remember that smoking was considered tough and manly back then too.
As for another book - yes. I am working toward being able to publish again before the end of the year. Right now I am uncertain as to the title I will use...I still have some dialogue to go through with a couple of people before I decide what the title will be.
|
|
Rest in Peace
United States
3039 Posts |
How naive we all were back "then." I never put mercury on coins but remember rolling it around in my palm. I also put my hands in red lead paint and remember being allowed to pour cyanide solutions down the drain when I was working in a chemistry lab. Yuk!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
602 Posts |
Numismo; thanks for the definition. WOLF
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3507 Posts |
No matter what it was re-plated with, it is indeed a re-processed cent. Worth about 10 cents. The coating causes the odd appearance that resembles doubling. Technically, it's a damaged coin by virtue of the process used to re-plate it outside the Mint.
Thanks,
Bill
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
2448 Posts |
Ah yes, youthful exuberance we all had it. Thanks for answering my questions.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
314 Posts |
I can remember recoating dimes in particular with Mercury available from our junior high school chemistry teacher. That would have been in the mid-1960's. Everyone is right on that mercury is nothing to mess around with even though it did make our coins shinier and ...................dangerous to handle.
|
| |
Replies: 13 / Views: 1,664 |
|
Posted 08/11/2010 10:54 pm
