1975 Silver Penny?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by TaaJ, Sep 29, 2003.

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  1. TaaJ

    TaaJ New Member

    I know that the Steel pennies weren't made in this year but I have a 1975 Silver Penny.

    I am almost 100% certain that it isn't mercury coated. It isn't greasy like those, also when it's dropped on metal it makes a very loud *ting* noise. When I dropped a normal copper penny it sounded like a stiff thud and didn't bounce much. This penny is also VERY thick, about as thick as a Nickel. It also feels different then normal penny.

    Anyone ever heard of one of these? I can post pics if you need to see them.
     
    TaaJ, Sep 29, 2003
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  3. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    By all means - please post the pics.

    My first thought was perhaps it is one of the experimental cents made in '74 and perhaps again in '75. But your description of the coin being "thick" kinda shoots that down. It does make me wonder though if it is an off-metal coin. Is it larger in diameter than a normal cent ? Or perhaps just a little bit smaller ?

    I would also suggest that you weigh the coin and let us know what it is. if you don't have a scale handy - place a popscicle stick on top of a pencil so that it is balanced. Then place your coin on 1 end and a normal cent on the other. Is one heavier ? If so which ?
     
    GDJMSP, Sep 30, 2003
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  4. TaaJ

    TaaJ New Member

    TaaJ, Sep 30, 2003
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  5. numist

    numist Member Supporter


    Kinda looks like it might be on a foreign planchet maybe? I wonder what the mint was producing for other countries that year that might be that diameter?
     
    numist, Sep 30, 2003
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  6. TaaJ

    TaaJ New Member

    So what does everyone think?
     
    TaaJ, Sep 30, 2003
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  7. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    From looking at the surface of the coin it appears to be corroded - or perhaps it was treated with acid. But these type of manufactured errors generally only occur with cents dated '82 or later.

    The planchet is definitely thicker and I wondered about it perhaps being struck on a nickel planchet. But the weight and the diameter rule that out. I must assume that even though you say by using the balance test the coin is usually heavier than a normal cent that it is only slightly heavier because it does balance out sometimes.

    I'm not going to go out on limb here and say it may be an aluminum cent. But it might be even though I doubt it. I don't recall ever hearing that the planchets for the experimental aluminum cents were thicker but who knows.

    Short of doing a specific gravity test I don't know how to indentify the metal. But you could try taking the coin to a metalurgist and get his opinion. You could also take or send the coin to an error specialist and see what they say. But it does appear that it may be an off-metal coin. Whether that would be the result of being struck on a foriegn planchet or an experimental planchet could only determined by testing.

    I would be curious to hear the results if you do have it tested though.
     
    GDJMSP, Sep 30, 2003
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  8. TaaJ

    TaaJ New Member

    I think the "corrosion" you refer too is the result of the camera light. It isn't a very good pic, in real life everything is increadibly sharp, the sharpest I've ever seen actually. You can see every step on the backside. It's for this reason I'm lead to believe this wasn't tampered with because the penny is from 1975. Not too many pennies from 1975 are this perfect, and would have surely had their corners rounded off slightly in almost 30 years. It seems to be a very durable metal.

    I'm not sure if there even is a metalurgist anywhere around here :mad:
     
    TaaJ, Sep 30, 2003
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  9. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    There is a guy who is a member of my coin club that deals in error coins. You could contact him if you wish and find out what he thinks. You can reach him through his web site - name is Pete. link
     
    GDJMSP, Sep 30, 2003
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  10. ndgoflo

    ndgoflo Senior Member

    Hi everyone, I just joined today. I too would probably go with a foriegn planchet theory. I have a 1984 "silver" cent, though I believe it is just a regular ol' silver plated penny. I've been meaning to post it in another forum that I am a member of but never got around to it. Stumbled across this forum today and figured that this would be a good place to start :) I'll post a pic if anybody wants to see it.
     
    ndgoflo, Oct 1, 2003
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  11. mcarter5

    mcarter5 New Member

    Silver penny

    I also have a silver penny I found a couple years ago and have been wondering if it was valuble since
    then, it's in really good condition, it is very similar to the one that was already described
     
    mcarter5, Mar 25, 2012
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  12. 5dollarEdunote

    5dollarEdunote Coin Connoisseur

    Whoa this is old.
     
    5dollarEdunote, Mar 25, 2012
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  13. Numis-addict

    Numis-addict Addicted to coins

    Thats what I was thinking. I wonder what the oldest thread on here is?
     
    Numis-addict, Mar 25, 2012
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  14. Johnvan

    Johnvan Member

    I wasn't here 9 years ago, what ever became of this
    silver penny, got my curiosity up.---John
     
    Johnvan, Mar 25, 2012
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  15. Lon Chaney

    Lon Chaney Well-Known Member

    Lon Chaney, Mar 25, 2012
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  16. Chilo

    Chilo New Member

    Hi everyone my friend found a 1975 D penny silver with copper the front is silver and the back is copper does anybody have the value on this penny.
     
    Chilo, Nov 13, 2017
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  17. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

    THISTHREADISUSELESSWITHOUTPICHERS.jpg
     
    cpm9ball, Nov 13, 2017
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  18. ToppCatt

    ToppCatt ToppCatt

    ToppCatt, Nov 13, 2017
    #17 + Quote Reply
  19. Michael K

    Michael K Well-Known Member

    Michael K, Nov 13, 2017
    #18 + Quote Reply
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  20. COCollector

    COCollector Well-Known Member

    Old thread... oh well, what the heck...

    [​IMG]

    It's a well-known chemistry trick...

     
    COCollector, Nov 14, 2017
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  21. Jbk1616

    Jbk1616 New Member

    my question is why are all the coins 1975??
     
    Jbk1616, Dec 12, 2017
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