Weird looking penny, I think a lot of grease had a part in its making

Hello everyone,

I am sorry for not checking in sooner but there have been some urgent family matters lately. I have read the above posts, and thank you all for your replies. They are much appreciated and a lot more explanatory than the simple 2 word (minimum word) posts usually given to coins like mine.

Jim M, I am very new to this world of coin collecting, so I have only stumbled upon Mr. Ken Potters page so far. The other names I have yet to find and learn from. But thanks for those, it gives me direction. I would like to say a little of what I think of your coins pattern if I may. It's acid dipped. Just kidding! But if it were dipped in acid, it would not have that beautiful rippled effect where each ripple is like a smaller version of the main outline. Acid does one thing, dissolve/oxidize (want to cover my bases there. Base? Not acid???), and I've even read a post where the poster said the coin somehow reconstructs itself again. That would be amazing to see, all the molecules going back to their original assigned positions. Kind of like the transporters in Star Trek.
But seriously, I think your coin is also grease struck. Now, before I am chastised for saying it, please bear with me as I try to explain my view. I'm not talking about the common grease struck coin that are known as greasers, but a coin in which there is an extraordinary amount of grease or other non-compressible material. When the die come down at the rapid speed it does, and with the tremendous striking pressure it does, the grease doesn't have time to squeeze out quickly enough so something's gotta give and it's not going to be the die, or the grease. It's the much softer copper.

Looking at your coin, I can even tell that the grease (is there a plural for it, like geese?) direction of flow was from bottom to top. The grease rapidly shooting over the surface would create... waves. Like waves on the ocean, or better yet, your skin. Ever use an air compressor nozzle and shoot it over your skin, it ripples, just like the ripples on your coin. Notice how the ripples upside of 'Liberty' are rippled too. This is caused by the low pressure side of the letters as the grease shot past it. One thing I am very knowledgeable about is aerodynamics and force. The same pattern beyond the letters also occur on the reverse side of the coin. One might argue that because the image and letters are upside down, how is it possible for the ripples to travel up past the top of the coin. That is because the coin 'vibrated' as the grease and die came together. I am trying to think of a good example so you can grasp what I'm trying to describe but I'm sorry, I'm so very tired. I'll try again later.

Anyway, as I stated before, I have tested copper cents in various acids with predicted results. The pennies were dissolved/oxidized both diameter wise and thickness wise. None of them made a 'pattern'. I also heated and melted pennies with predicted results. The copper puddles, then flows. Upon cooling and hardening, the features were gone, or mostly gone.

Before I go on, I wish to submit my thoughts on the 'dryer coins'. I have done dryer tests as well, and have some logical points to ponder. On the larger dryers, the circumference is large enough whereas the surface of the dryer can be thought of as relatively flat. The surface is also smooth, for if it were rough, clothes would be worn down in one drying cycle, yes? Okay, what is the first part of contact the coin makes in a dryer/flat surface? If it is a good/normal struck coin, it's the rim. The rim should be the first part of the coin to wear down, followed by the bust, and then when the rim is gone, the words on the edge. Looking at Jim M's nickel, the rim is still visible, and not as flat as it should be given the wear on the letters. If you disagree with this theory, try doing an 'accelerated dryer test'. Use some 1000 or 600 grit sandpaper and drag the coin back and forth across it. The sandpaper will do quickly what the dryer supposedly does over a long period of time, remove minute bits of metal. As the metal is removed, it does not stick around to be melted, bonded with the original coin, and flattened again. It is gone. Another thing to do (as was suggested to me by another member) is to measure the coin at varying points, both diameter and thickness and compare it with several coins of the same year if possible.

Now, (sorry for the verbose post) on to my coin. I've said about all I've wanted to cover on it, and just so people know, I am a person of my word. I have not been hiding or slacking, but have contacted some people regarding shipping my coin to be evaluated. Notice I didn't say graded/rated. If you look at all of my posts, in not one of them have I ever asked if my coins were worth anything. That doesn't interest me. I'm doing this for the sheer joy, thrill, and adventure of it. I used to get the same joy collecting beautiful seashells for decades.

So, in conclusion, I am submitting some more pictures of my coin along with some of my views as to why it is what it is, and how it was formed. I know now that I will never change any of your minds, but it may be of interest for you to look at how another person has seen and tried to reason out. I really loved all of your posts and truly appreciate them all for it gave me a view as to how you see my coin, and what you think happened to it. I do agree 100% that unless I was there, I cannot say for sure what caused it. But it sure would be interesting to have been there don't you think? I have some other coins on which I would like to participate in an open discussion with all of you recent posters sometime in the near future if I may.

Thank you all again, and thank you desertgem for not closing my page for I did get away from the coin and was defending it on a personal level it should not have been. I apologize for that, and will not do so in the future. As you can tell, I am very new to this forum thing and am still learning the ropes. Thank you all, and have a great coin hunting day!

 

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OP, it sounds like you think coins are cast from molten metal. I don't know how else you think grease can push metal around. A very basic understanding of the minting process would save you a lot of time and effort trying to prove some cockamamie theory.

 

The coin developed over time. Probably exposed to acid rain in an area that accumilated shallow water that produced a current during drainage. The device of the coin act like rocks in a stream diverting the water flow around them. It would dry up then later the rain would come again. Eventually someone spotted the coin and picked it up because all day long they would have good luck.

 

You still have not disclosed the actual (and precise) weight of your coin. A coin struck through grease or oil or whatever, will still weigh within mint specifications. A post-mint acid-treated coin will be underweight.

 

The only way I would expect to see a "rippled" surface on any struck coin, would be a lamination peel... A coin would be noticeably thinner and lighter, if it actually was this type of error.

 

I have never seen grease move metal on a coin. I have seen it keep details from being struck.
I have never seen grease make a coin no longer round. It would still be round when it came out of the press.

The only way I can think of a coin having this melted look would be heat or acid.
Just can't believe it came from the mint looking like this.