can anybody comment on this 1996 cent found in change? Gold color ,planchet goes thick to thin. Can you see anything else? Thanks Tom
Yes, your cent has been either lightly gold-plated as a novelty item (or out of boredom by someone) or that color is from enviormentally damaged surfaces. It's not an error coin of any kind, I'm sorry to say.
Environmental Damage. Some science experiment using an open flame altered its color. Not a mint error.
I assume that you are referring to the thickness of the rim on the obverse......at 1:00 it is thin and at 7:00 it is thick. The rim on the reverse appears normal. That is called a misaligned die (MAD). ~ Chris
If you get a Zincoln hot enough, the zinc inside melts while the copper coating remains intact. That can lead to all sorts of odd distortions. In fact, get it hot enough and you can boil the zinc before the copper melts. It makes the cent pop. It's very satisfying. (I hate Zincolns.)
Thanks all, I thought it would be something like that, but the planchet through me off. Got me thinking it might be something because of the planchet.
The blank planchet was uneven and when struck into a coin it ended up looking like you see it. Not considered a mint error.