Last my Red Book heard they stopped making these around 1858. Specifically, what do you say (or were told) is so "large" about this coin?
to CoinTalk mattyhawk. It's too bad that your first inquiry has to be about a fake/counterfeit/token/replica/fantasy piece.
satootoko Upon what facts or technical information do you base this statement or believe it to be accurate?
US large cents, minted from 1793-1857, ranged in size from 26-29mm. US 5¢ nickels, minted from 1866-2007, ranged in size from 20.5-21.2mm. US cents minted in 1983 were 19mm wide. The numerals in US coinage dates are not significantly different in size on any known genuine coins. In other words, US large cents were considerably larger than nickels, which are, in turn, significantly larger than modern US cents. The size of the piece, and the description of one digit in the date as being "super large", neither of which matches any known variety or error coin, are absolute proof that it isn't a genuine mint-issued 1983 cent. The two most likely explanations are a privately issued non-coin token, or a pure fantasy piece, but without a picture of your coin, it is impossible to determine which it is Of course there is also the possibility that the 3 has been enlarged by hammering it, and the entire coin has been enlarged by placing it between two pieces of leather and striking it with a hammer or squeezing it in a vise. That too could be determined by examination of a clear picture.
3/2/07 Mattyhawk reply: I will endevour the acquisition of a picture for clear definition. And thank you very much for helping to clearly define it for me.
