I have a 1993 penny that is not copper. it is magnetic and is exactly like copper pennys in appearance. has anyone ever seen this before, fake or real? looking for some info. has a shiny appearance like a 1943 steel penny
Howdy jwebb - Welcome to the Forum !! It is possible that what you have is a plated cent, that might explain it being attracted to a magnet. Can you weigh the coin and post pics ?
I currently have no method of weighing the coin, I have pics but the kbs are to large to upload. any way I can reduce the file size so I can post them?
You could take the coin to any coin shop or any jewelry store - they can weigh it for you. As for the pics, use your camera software to change the file size - upload the pic the Coin Talk Gallery instead of to a post - or upload the pic to one of the free pic hosting sites like - Image Shack
At first glance I would say that someone has removed the copper plating from the zinc core but that wouldn't explain the coin being magnetic. So basically i am stumpped!?!
Almost certainly plated. Probably nickel plated, or steel plated. If you file some of the metal plating off the edge, you should first begin to see the thin copper coating of the original coin, and then the zinc core beneath that.
jwebb: Welcome, and it takes practice to reduce the pictures. I finally did it yesterday, using Photo Impact.
thanks for the info. I believe I will try to weigh it when I have a chance and I will let you all know the results.
found this photo that looks like yours http://www.bakercoins.net/learn/error.ed/wrong.plan/index.html
but... being struck on a dime planchet would not explain the magnetism... I still want to see the weight and some photos.
Is it strongly magnetic (jumps to the magnet) or weakly magnetic (You can tell there is some attraction , or maybe there is enough to let a strong magnet pull it around, or maybe it can barely be picked up by a strong magnet.) If it is the first case (strong attraction) then it has probably somehow been struck on a foreign planchet and the weight will most likely be low. If the attraction is weak then it probably is just nickel plated and the thickness of the plating determines how string the attraction is (and the weight will be vary close to normal).
I have a 1993 penny that entirely black oxidized but grey metal just like zinc, non-magnetic and struck extremely hard or the metal it is made of gave way more so than the zinc and copper plated common coin. Both sides have a lip on the edge where it is almost sharp and bowed from the strike.