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?
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.
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.
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.
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 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!!
@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.