ALUMINUM PENNY 1974 vs. NON-COPPER PENNY 1972-Denver Mint

So, having a "pattern" one of a kind coin, is more desired by collectors of Pennies?
I am curious, lets say you were a serious penny collector, which you might be, my question is: What are serious collectors looking for in the high end range? I appreciate the J-2156 answer. However, since you are a collector, maybe you can give me some "hope" that we do have a rare find, and quite the provenance (does this matter in the coin world?)-please answer this question, I never thought to ask anyone...anyway, any thoughts on what might be our best response from PCGS...
We appreciate your time. We appreciate your knowledge and help. Thanks so much, and I promise I wont keep asking questions so often...most likely, maybe, gee, I might keep asking...so much goes thru my mind right now. It is almost like Christmas, either you get a great gift, or, a Snoopy Bank which your brother breaks and takes your money out of....coins by the way when I was a kid, and then the bank was of no use or value. Can you see why I ask these questions? A lot to consider, and wonder about...Thanks so much, Nan

 

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You know, we have learned not to get our hopes up. So many times, as you age, disappointments happen.
As far as where is the bronze, good question. My thinking is, the scientists were using many elements prior to the 74 Penny, and ours went thru as an experiment.
If you only knew how many questions that run through my mind - why the color, why the magnetic property, why why why? I sure hope PCGS wont take too long.
Thank you.

 

Jay, no matter what they find, please don't feel like you must apologize...no one really knows, except the men who made it. Lets trust in the grading and the metal experts....

 

Thank you so much. She replaced my son when he went away to college (debt school, ha ha)...I missed that boy sooo much, I can't believe we got a dog again. But boy is a Boxer fun. She is so fun to watch, and play with.

 

I did contact the Denver Mint. They are so secretive and non-willing to give answers, after many calls, I gave up on that idea. But its a good idea, I tried.

 

Is there a J-2156? I don't have my references with me. I thought the bronze coated steel patterns were J-2152.

 

How do you view these particular patterns like J-2152?

 

www.uspatterns.com

 

The U.S. Mints also mint foreign coins. For example, they also minted nickel clad steel 10 Centavos coins for Columbia in 1972, which were only slightly smaller in diameter 18.4 mm as opposed to the U.S. cent at 19 mm and slightly lighter. They would be magnetic. I haven't investigated other countries yet, but suspect that at least one foreign planchet got mixed in. Pure nickel is also magnetic. Mint records should be able to help you identify what you have, but I do not know how to query them other than contacting the Denver Mint. I used a Krause Standard Catalog of World Coins in pdf version and searched on "Denver" to see all the countries that listed coins minted there and then searched though each of those countries to look for similar sized coins with planchets similar to your description.

 

The US did not mint anything in 1971 or 72 that would fit the description (close to 19 mm, weight of 3 to 3.1 grams, silver colored, and magnetic. Closest is Nepal 25 Pice. Size weight and color fit, but they aren't magnetic and they were only struck in San Francisco, and only in proof. Nothing else even comes close.

Tried another approach, search for anything we struck for another country that was magnetic. We have struck almost nothing of magnetic composition for others. And of the few we have none of them come close in size, weight or time frame.

 

My humble opinion is that ours looks similar to the J2153 in color. Ours is not bronze clad looking....It is more a pewter silver color...similar to the J2153. (Like the on the mint requested back...).
Checked PCGS - NO WORD YET....
I want to thank you so much for that site of pattern coins...it is very helpful to us.
Thank you.

 

Thank you doing so much research. We are waiting to see what PCGS determines...

 

This is an intriguing issue, so I spent some more time researching. Other possibilities are that the planchet supplier mixed in a wrong planchet. U.S. Mints also produced planchets for foreign mints, one of which could have found its way into the cent line. See: http://www.minterrornews.com/news-5-13-03-foreigners_in_the_mint.html
https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/errorcoininformationexchange/info
Lots of information out there nothing clicks yet though. I have a quarter struck on a nickel planchet so I know errors happen. There were 19 mm magnetic coins struck that year for other countries, perhaps there was a stray planchet that found its way into the Denver cent line. Hopefully PCGS will have answers.

 

I have no idea what it is, but there have been some good ideas already. The best info you have so far is that the dealer was interested. That's a good sign. They look at a lot of coins and usually will tell you quite fast whether something is fake. This is especially true with more crude and obvious fakes. This one is either a genuine mint piece or a well made forgery. Either way, you did the right thing to send it in. You may have something original here, whatever it may be.

 

I used to have a Malemute,
My Malemute was very cute.
I raised him from a little pup,
Then he tried to eat me up!

R.I.P. Malemute.

 

I am all for the discussion but honestly---is there really anything to discuss? I am not trying to be mean but the odds of this being anything but a plated coin were extremely low.

Then we find out this coin weights 3.11 grams. If it weights exactly what it SHOULD way then it is not a pattern or any off-metal error. It is just a penny. I mean the discussion stops there. There is really nothing more to discuss.

I attempted to contact OP via PM to tell her that she should just take it to a jewelry shop and weight it.

This 'coin dealer' is 1 of 2 things
1) A complete novice
or
2) Is a PCGS dealer getting a nice cut from the PCGS fee.


I am sorry to be so blunt but there was no need to send this to PCGS and it has 0% chance of being anything but a plated coin.

 

Gee, that is a depressing thought...please don't take my anticipation away that something good will come of this.

 

Let me ask this....aren't there scientists who work on the elements that go into a coin? And didn't they work in the early 70's to try and produce a less expensive cent? And during such time, why couldn't an experimental element/metal mix planchet been made, and then a cent was struck on it? And no one caught it? Prior to the aluminum cent, there had to be people working diligently on the mixture of materials that go into making a less expensive planchet? Since ours is dated 1972, this would seem to be during the time they were working on making a less expensive penny/cent. This is all we could think it might be. When I watched how they inspect a batch of coins, they don't check each one...they look at a full tray of coins. Maybe this on slipped through? Since it carries the correct weight of a cent...maybe no one caught it in the batch and it was sent to the Federal Reserve for public distribution? Open you mind up, you seem very intelligent...There has to be an answer. I will admit, it someone plated this, would not the weight be more? I have no idea...Does a plated coin weigh more? Plus, what about the scientists? Any thoughts on this?

 

You are correct. The dealer asked me if I was interested in selling the coin? He further went as far as asking if I would wait while he made some calls....yes, that did make us think we had something...so we decided to have it graded, plus have a test to tell us what the elements are in the coin. I keep checking, but I suppose it takes a long time to get an answer. I am eager to learn what they discover. Thank you for being positive about this, we really need positive thoughts...Thank you.

 

The 3.11 g weight of a 1972 is a nominal weight, with tolerances of +/- 0.13 grams, so any cent of that period could weigh from 2.98g- 3.24 grams and be acceptable. So, if we know a coin is plated, it will weigh a tiny amount more than before it was, but if all we know is a weight and it is within the tolerances, weight will not determine whether plating or not.