Gold Bronze? 1978 D penny error?

I recently came across this penny and was wondering if it is an error?

 

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Can you give us clearer photos? Is your white balance set correctly?

Chris

 

I'm guessing that the copper that they made the coin out of was a little brassy.

 

awful shiny, possibly plated...

 

It's about that time of year that high school chem labs are doing the "silver penny/gold penny" lab. The silver penny is coated with a thin coating of zinc and when you heat it up it alloys with the copper to make brass. Search it on google.

 

Plated!

 

Im not doubting anyone here but if it were plated or was a high school experiment would that change the weight of the coin? this penny weighs 3.0 grams. I have weighed it in two different scales and it weighed 3.0 grams on both. i wish there was a way to check if it was plated or not with out wrecking the coin.

 

Plating or changing the surface composition would not change the weight on a gram scale. At most it might add a few tenths of a grain or less.

 

Plated.

 

I have one I got many years ago. I used a nail file on the edge to see if it was gold all the way through but found out it is silver color on the inside with no trace of copper color under the gold color.

 

The nominal weight of the cent would be 3.11 grams, but the tolerance allowed is +/- 0.13 grams so the minimum weight mint unc. could be as low as 2.98 grams.

 

There is a way. Its costly, but there is. When you send it to PCGS, ASK for Scanning Electron Microscopy - Custom Laboratory Testing Service. This company determines the exact elements in your coin by using higher energy electron beam. I did this, and learned my husbands 1972 D Penny, is made of 96 percent Nickel, some zinc, etc. You can see all the debates about my husbands penny on Coin Talk from years ago. I further learned that in the late 60's early 70's chemists were testing many elements to make a less expensive penny. All we can think is ours was a test penny.
Unfortunately, PCGS considers it a Counterfeit, stating it was made by an employee who wished to benefit from it. I was in disbelief. My husband had this coin in his Milk Box from Grade School over 55 years ago. I do not believe any scientist benefited from our penny. It just got mixed up with all the others. I wish I could talk to those who made this decision. It is not fair. This penny is a US COIN, but, because its alloys are not what they SHOULD BE, those in charge determined it counterfeit. What a bunch of hooey. There are no other 1972 D pennies to our knowledge made with these elements. Its a rare error coin to us.
Best of luck. As I said, it is expensive.

 

First of all, this thread is almost 3 years old and the OP hasn’t been on this site since the day after his original post, so I don’t think he will see your comments.

@girldly Regarding your coin: I have no doubt that the analysis of your coin was correct when they said it was 96% nickel, plus zinc and some other trace elements.

If you go back and look at the thread you referenced, you’ll see an explanation of why the analysis is consistent with a NICKEL PLATED coin https://www.cointalk.com/threads/variety-error-coins.291975/page-2#post-2847961 . SEM only penetrates a few microns deep, so your results only tell you what’s on the surface, in this case the nickel plating. No matter how much you WANT your coin to be an experimental planchet, it’s just a plating experiment. Plating cents in school chemistry classes has been done since the 50’s and is a great teaching tool. People are constantly posting examples on Coin Talk.

I want to make sure that anybody who may come across this thread during an internet search in the future does not make an expensive mistake and send their plated coin for the analysis you recommend. It won’t answer their question.

 

Sometimes people with all the power, are idiotic. I think it's good coin. Time to start banging on some doors until you receive an answer that makes sense

 

Thanks. Didn't know that micro thing

 

I went through this years ago. PCGS sent our 1972 D Penny, nickel color, to a specialist to determine its alloys. The results were 96 percent nickel, plus other various 4 percent alloys. They said it was Counterfeit. (PCGS). Like you, I received so many people telling me, Plated. Well, not true. What I discovered was the scientists were testing different alloys for the cent. The RED BOOK describes a counterfeit coin as one made for a person intentionally to make money on it (in my own words). That's the jest of it. It says nothing about a True US Cent in circulation, kept in my husbands milk box since grade school. No one at the Mint or Lab profited from this One Of A Kind Cent. If you send your coin in, make sure and ask for S & L labs to determine the alloys. Otherwise, you will never know. It is a costly service. But, even tho the bosses who write the RED BOOK wont recognize this coin of ours as an ERROR, we will know the truth. I believe I posted the results after getting approval from the people who run Coin Talk. Very good people by the way. Best of luck to you. Girldly

 

Heres the kicker. I have learned that you cant change the system even if the results are documented. We don't have the kind of time it would take. Our dream was for the Worlds Largest Penny Collection owner would contact us. No word yet....
Guess only my kind Coin talk associates will know the truth. Thanks everyone for your support.

 

There is, S & L labs, costly, but PCGS will send it there and it doesn't affect the coin, that's why its so expensive. Your paying for the awesome technology.

 

I no expert on counterfeits and I don't doubt what PCGS said about the composition of your LMC. I do have a question though.

So you are saying that your husband has had this coin for over 55 years? You are still talking about your 1972D LMC here right? If so that would make it only 46 years old.

 

@girldly Will you please stop this nonsense. I don't care how many times you keep posting that nobody believes your coin is struck on experimental planchet even though the lab tests you reference clearly show your coin is nickel plated. Believe what you want.

However, it is extremely irresponsibly to insist that new collectors spend a significant amount of money on non-destructive lab testing that WILL NOT prove anything.

To any new collectors reading this post. Please read post #13 in this thread before spending money on these tests. If you have any questions regarding if this type of lab testing is appropriate, please ask a question in a new post. CT has a number of active members who are scientists, chemists and engineers that use and understand analytical lab equipment. They will be more than happy to provide you with correct analytical technique and data interpretation (if warranted)

Post #13