Here are two pennies from 1946. One is normal, but the other is too small to fit on my coin folder...by 1 millimeter. It's not a matter of worn edges because the features on the small penny are proportionally smaller. It's also bigger than the dime. Is this the opposite of a broadstrike error?
What kind of folder do you have? I've had some of the old Whitman albums whose holes weren't cut too precisely. Chris
Huh? Maybe the smaller cent is original as I have found dimes CRH cent rolls - and the larger one is suspect? Most people don't have a gram scale but could you weight it? I think Wheats and Memorial coppers should weigh 3.2 grams, (correct me if I'm wrong?
It looks like someone did a good job of sanding the rim off. The lettering is very close to the edge, and that would make the coin look and feel thinner.
Simple.. I can answer this mystery because it has happened to me. Many years ago I was filling a Whitman Folder #9004 made for 1909-1940 Wheat Cents. Searching through all of my loose Wheats I filled up about half the folder. I remembered that I had an Encased Wheat Cent that was dated 1931 Philadelphia Mint, with no mintmark of course. It was able to pry out the Cent and discard of the horseshoe good luck shaped metal encasement. Then when I tried to place the Cent into the spot on the holder I saw that the Cent was to small and would not stay. The force of the encasement actually made the diameter of the Cent smaller! I'm sure that this is your answer @cpm9ball
It appears that the wheat ears are smaller on the smaller penny. However, your explanation makes sense.
And here is my tiny Cent. I used tape to hold it into the folder. Did that when I was 18 years old. See the space?
Ok .. I just got a 1946 cent in near perfect condition that is definitely smaller than the rest . I needed to use tape to keep it in the holder . Maybe I should send it out for grading & see what they say .. Is say it’s an error of some sort