Without a pic, my guess is that either it is struck on a dime planchet or a plated science project. It can't be an unplated error because pre-1982 cents were copper, and were never plated. Most llikely a science project.
Replated, it's a 1980, which was copper. The best way to tell an unplated, is by the luster. Replated coins have a glossy, shiney, mirror-like luster...sometimes it's also flat. A real one will have a luster similar to a plated cent and they usually cartwheel.
thank you, I had a feeling that it was plated. I have a 1943 steel penny and it is nothing like that coin. thanks again
