1950 S WHEAT WHY SO SMALL?

Discussion in 'Coin Roll Hunting' started by SmokinJoe, Apr 13, 2020.

  1. SmokinJoe

    SmokinJoe Well-Known Member

    SingleShot0000.jpg Found this while going through a cent paper roll...It is much smaller than it should be.
    I took a couple pictures of this coin in a cardboard wrap so you can see just how smaller it is than a standard cent. I know some people like to shave them, drill them,ect,ect but this one seems very close to perfectly round...Took 2 pictures
    of it in a cardboard holder so you can see that it is smaller than it should be.
    What do you think?

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  3. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    Altered. Post Mint.
    Maybe slightly acid dipped.
     
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  4. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    Dryer coin? Are the rims upset?
     
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  5. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    Shaved down to pass as a dime in the vending machines of the day.
     
  6. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Supporter! Supporter

    As stated PMD. Your photos seem darker than your usual posts.
     
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  7. Michael K

    Michael K Well-Known Member

    Yes 3 likely scenarios.
    This coin was shaved down back in the day to fool vending machines into
    accepting it as a dime.
    Acid will reduce the weight and diameter of a coin, but in this case I don't think it's acid. The coin was accidentally minted on a smaller bronze planchet that the US mint was making for other countries. Possible but unlikely. The shaved down to mimic a dime is the answer that I agree with.
     
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  8. Hoky77

    Hoky77 Well-Known Member

    My cousin showed me the dime trick 55 yrs ago. I remember him telling a story about a irate vendor chasing him down after hitting the same machine twice.
     
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  9. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

  10. alurid

    alurid Well-Known Member

    Most of these reduced diameter cents are from the 50's. I think the soda machine dime theory is the most likely for coins like yours.
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  11. SmokinJoe

    SmokinJoe Well-Known Member

    Thanks guys.....I had to smack myself in the head a couple of times ( and it hurt 2 )
    cause I used to sidewalk polish the cents down to dime size all the time to use the pay phones!!!....How the He!! could I have forgotten that?....I used to smile ear to ear every time I put the AbeDime into the phone and it worked :happy: You know it just dawned on me, I could have made that AbeDime myself!!
    Again thanks Guys, I certainly appreciate your input, gotta run....And put that Bad Boy in a small photo frame and get him on the wall!!
     
  12. SmokinJoe

    SmokinJoe Well-Known Member

    @Hoky77 I used to do that too!! :happy:
     
  13. SmokinJoe

    SmokinJoe Well-Known Member

    @alurid Your right, and I know your right cause I used to do that all the time!!
     
  14. SmokinJoe

    SmokinJoe Well-Known Member

    @MountainMan Your right Mountain Man, my small microscope is getting a little quirkey....It works good, it don't work good...Maybe time to start looking for a new one.
     
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