I get mad at Chinese and other countries that copy our coins and sell them, but I think I get more mad at the "Americans" that do it for profit too. I got this cent in change at Walmart from a cashier that was dumping the change into my hand. I saw a silver flash fall into my palm. looking again here's what I had. A 1945 "silver" cent (steel? on wrong planchet?) took it home, stuck a magnet to it...Nothing. Why would someone do that??? When I saw the copper peeking through the zinc my heart dropped even farther. Oh well.
I've found a a few of those in circulation, always makes me cringe a little bit whenever I see one...
I guess i did silly things like the "penny" on the train tracks.. but i didn't do it for profit, just silly hoping one wasn't a 1909 S V.D.B <CRINGE>
This "fake" cent you're railing against is almost certainly just the result of a middle school science experiment in zinc plating a real US cent.
Just a plated cent, but still has a "cool factor" for me, and I'd certainly keep it. I have a nickel that was plated in copper that I kept just because.
I got a silver colored modern penny in my change the other day as a dime. Didn't realize I lost out on .09¢ change until after I got home. Lol Still have it too. Looking closer it kinda looks like it was heated?