How is this possible?

Discussion in 'Error Coins' started by 71Avalon, Feb 21, 2026 at 12:15 PM.

  1. 71Avalon

    71Avalon Well-Known Member

    It's on Great Collections right now. 2017 is a year that is nowhere near the last time they made cents out of copper, which I believe was 2009.

    Screenshot_20260221-115745.png
     
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  3. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    A copper blank probably got stuck in the machine and finally broke free and was minted years later.
     
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  4. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    FYI…1982 was the transition year from copper to copper plated zinc cents.
     
  5. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    But in 2009 there were cents struck in bronze as a commemoration of Lincoln's 200th birthday (and the Lincoln cent's 100th).
     
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  6. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Yes but not for circulation as I recall.
     
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  7. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    I did not know (until now) that the 2009 commemorative Lincoln cents were struck in bronze and were not Zincolns. There are a great many gaps (fancy word: lacunae) in my knowledge about moderns.
     
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  8. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Regarding the coin in the OP: what about foreign coins? Does the US Mint still strike 1-centavo pieces under contract for Panama, or is that denomination a thing of the past? (Too lazy to look it up right now.)
     
  9. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    Thats not even the correct composition. It should be 95% copper and 5% zinc.
     
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  10. lordmarcovan

    lordmarcovan Eclectic numismatist Moderator

    Hmm. Which makes me wonder even more about foreign planchets.
     
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  11. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Did they quote the copper coating percentage?
     
  12. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    Hmm. I assume the composition on the label is from XRF. I wonder if XRF gives inaccurate readings on bronze because the copper would block the fluorescence from the zinc... no, I don't think that makes sense. If PCGS found they were consistently getting <1% zinc readings on coins that were supposed to be 5% zinc, surely they'd do something about it.
     
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  13. Pickin and Grinin

    Pickin and Grinin Well-Known Member

    There shouldn't be a copper coating on a bronze planchet.
     
  14. Michael K

    Michael K Well-Known Member

    Not all the 2009s are copper. Most of them are zinc.
    There were some that are 3.1g and should have a more matte finish.
     
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