How is this possible? So many years in between? Are we supposed to weigh every coin in our possessions? ... At Stack’s Bowers Galleries’ Aug. 11 Rarities Night sale, the firm offered the only known 1989-D Lincoln cent struck on a pre-1983 planchet, graded Mint State 65 red by Professional Coin Grading Service. As the auctioneer observed, “It is remarkable for an error of this type to exist on a coin so far removed in time (seven years) from the changeover in composition.” The description tried to equate the offered coin to 1943 Lincoln cents struck on bronze planchets, or at least 1983 Lincoln cents struck on bronze planchets, but the 1989 error failed to reach those price levels and sold for a modest $3,525.
Could it have had help? There are a number of amazing errors from the SF mint in the early 70s that seem to have come from the "Midnight Minter", and I recall reading about a Philly mint employee getting caught trying to smuggle stuff out 10+/- years ago hiding it in the oil pans of fork trucks (I may not be 100% accurate on that). Probably never know for certain but to paraphrase the 14th Century Franciscan Monk and Philosopher, William of Ockham, the simplest explanation is usually the correct explanation
Ken Potter did an article for the 1983 cent in Numismatic News some years ago suggesting everyone searching should weigh all cents after 1982 for just this possibility. But this is, indeed, an impossible task except for maybe some one permanently disabled with the rest of their life to do so.
That is what I would think would be a likely theory. What I think would be unlikely if somebody could throw a planchette in a batch and be able to extract it at the end.
@bruthajoe @paddyman98 @Oldhoopster @tommyc03 @dcarr I seem to recall reading about Mr. Carr's acquisition of one of the old presses used by the Denver Mint. In it, he told of finding either coins or planchets in the "bowels" of the machine. Please correct me if I'm wrong. If that is the case, isn't it possible that a planchet became lodged inside the press and then worked its way back into the stream of planchets? ~ Chris
But after 7 years of being lodged in some blind crevice in the machine I would have to think some human intervention was involved, like some repair or maintenance that jogged it loose. Then the chances are small that someone would find it and finding it by weighing it equates to an astronomical circumstance.
That's a unique mint error. I'm not saying it's impossible to find another but astronomical to do so. You have a better chance in finding a 1983 Copper Cent which is more common.. Ha I was typing when you just made you comment!
Either a coin stuck and finally freed itself or a Mint employee struck it when working on the equipment.
Okay I just started weighing some 80s cents. I almost immediately found a 1984 that is weighing in at 2.9 grams. That is 4 grams over zinc cents and 2 grams lower than copper cents. What is the margin of error? or what is the rule of thumb if any? Edit answer -+ 1 gram . Thanks Clawcoins for the great info.
You described me!! Indeed I do weigh all cents post 1982, as I separated them into piles of bronze and copper coated zinc. It does not take much time. I 've been disabled for over 50 years. Gary in Washington
I place all of my 1982 coins next to my scale, and place one at a time on the scale. If it is 2.5 grams its zinc, if 3.11 its bronze. I simply separate them into 2 piles. I have not yet found a 3.11 zinc, or a 2.5 bronze. For denominations of 1983-89, I will occasionally weigh them, but the most valuable one would be the 1982-83 bronze. I have not yet found the valuable one. That is why they are valuable, not common. Gary in Washington