Wigging out. I was going through some half dollar rolls and I put aside every 71 and 77 I found just to weigh them. I know the 71 D and 77 D have been found but I've never seen a P before! Here are two photos showing 2 of the 77's I found. One weighing within the silver planchet range! It's not the prettiest but I just want to know if you guys think I should get it graded?
I mean fine to doubt. I get it, fun to internet troll, but let's say it is and I send it in to be graded. What do you feel it's worth?
50 cents. What does the edge look like? A 77D 40% silver planchet sold for almost $7k. AFIK there aren't any known Philly 40%ers that have be found. Highly doubt you have a one of a kind find. Not saying it's not possible. Just highly improbable.
IMO, there's some wrong planchet errors from the Denver mint, per RED BOOK 2017 page 214 subject; KENNEDY(1964 TO DATE). No "P" minted halves made the record on wrong planchets, but I like your story though. Can you get a closeup photo comparing your 77 P on the left, with a normal clad half on the right side please? Lucky you, you may have a unique coin, 77 D no D maybe. with a wrong planchet, weighin in at 40% silver clad weight.
Do the silver planchet test.. BTW.. You can send any coin in for it to get graded. You need to also pay for error/variety attribution. That will cost you a bit extra or they won't tell you if it's what you think it is. Please let us know the results.
Definitely do a little more investigative work before spending the money to have it attributed. While it is in the weight range of silver clad coins, it is also within the normal tolerance of copper nickel clad. Pictures of the edge as well as the tissue test as other members have mentioned should be next.
San Francisco used to send rejected proof planchets to Denver to be coined as business strikes. Some 40% silver planchets from the bicentennial issues were inadvertently mixed with them and were struck as 1977D. As far as I know from the research literature, San Francisco didn't send rejected plan chefs to Philly, so a 1977 40% isn't possible. The tolerance for clad halves is 11.34 grams +/-0.454 grams so your 1977D is within spec. 40% halves are 10.50 grams +/- 0.40, so there is an overlap. That means weight isn't a good indication. Looking at the edge is a very easy way to check. If the core is copper, it's a normal clad.
I have checked all my resources and can not find a silver 1977P. I also checked online Q&A and still nothing. Wait for others to chime in before you make a decision, I would not send it in until you are sure. Sorry, good luck, thanks for sharing it.
The 40% is actually clad in 80% silver over a 21% silver core, giving it an overall 40% silver content.
