1943 steel pulled from a roll - original clad or reprocessed?

Discussion in 'Coin Roll Hunting' started by CygnusCC, Jun 8, 2021.

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  1. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    Hey all this steel showed up in a roll of wheats I went through a couple days ago. I thought it was incredible luck but after seeing this thread on reprocessed steels:
    https://www.cointalk.com/threads/damaged-of-course-but-exactly-how.381774/
    I'm wondering if that's why this was in the roll (maybe somebody got scammed and tossed it into circulation?)

    1943_steel_rep_obverse.png
    1943_steel_rep_reverse.png
    The edge has a few spots of rust, but not near what I would expect from a circulation 1943. Maybe the rust is leaching through the coating?
    1943_steel_rep_edge.png
    On the other hand, maybe this was stored well for years and then recently spent by a grandchild or something. :)

    I'm 75% convinced this is reprocessed, but thought I'd run it by you guys and get a second opinion. Thanks for any thoughts.
     
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  3. spirityoda

    spirityoda Coin Junky

  4. SensibleSal66

    SensibleSal66 U.S Casual Collector / Error Collector

    Real as Mayonnaise ! :hilarious:
     
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  5. alurid

    alurid Well-Known Member

    It looks like it has its original surfaces. Nice find.
     
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  6. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    Wow, glad I got second opinions. That'll teach me to pre-judge coins. :)

    Thanks guys!
     
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  7. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    A total of 684,628,000 Steel Cents were minted at the Philadelphia Mint. I wouldn't consider that rare.
    It is neat finding one in such good condition.
     
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  8. eddiespin

    eddiespin Fast Eddie

    It's a good one. AU. Nice features on it.
     
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  9. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    Original surfaces. The reprocessed ones are bright and shiny.

    Just to show how numismatic retailing has changed, I used to see many ads in the magazines for reprocessed PDS sets of these coins. They are worth so little these days, no dealer would waste his advertising money.
     
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  10. Treashunt

    Treashunt The Other Frank

    ya done good
     
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  11. Gilbert

    Gilbert Part time collector Supporter

    Good eye!
     
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  12. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    Yeah, I should rephrase the incredible luck as unexpected luck. Apparently entirely credible given the numbers. :)

    The good condition was what surprised me. Under the microscope it's not great, but just eyeballing it, it gleams among the corroded brown wheat cents it arrived with.
     
    Last edited: Jun 8, 2021
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  13. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    Did the steel pennies themselves drop in value as well or just the reprocessed sets?
     
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  14. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    It does not have the look of a reprocessed cent. I have some steel cents that I purchased a few years ago at my LCS. They cost me 6 for $1.00. Not rare, not reprocessed but the real thing.
     
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  15. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    lol, ok. Well I suppose I cut my $6 roll of wheat cost down to $5.84.
    Luckily I'm planning for this hobby to need funding instead of acting as funding. :D
     
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  16. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    A very wise decision. :D
     
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  17. eddiespin

    eddiespin Fast Eddie

    These were cosmetic things. Some people went for them, some still do. Suppose when you put them together in a set they seem like they're more important. They never had value to collectors, though, as they're just messed with.
     
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  18. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor Supporter

    I must disagree. In the photo that shows the edge, you can enlarge it and see that the zinc is continuous in some area with the face surfaces almost a 1/4 or 1/3 the way to the center of the rim. The mint zinc would only be a small line for the facings as no zinc was added to rims. Hard to tell from photo, but that's my thought. Sorry Jim
     
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  19. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    No worries, I would not be surprised if this was ultimately the case. Is there a better angle or more pictures of the rim elsewhere that would help confirm your analysis?
     
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  20. eddiespin

    eddiespin Fast Eddie

    If it was helped along at some point it was dipped. But this one wasn't plated.
     
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  21. CygnusCC

    CygnusCC Roping the Learns Supporter

    Interesting, I've seen lots of references to dipped but I've never figured out what it means. Does that mean dropping it into acetone or isopropanol? Or is there some other solution that people use?

    Edit: Nevermind, found a youtube video.
     
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