When I toured the Denver mint a few years ago, the tour guide gave out "free samples," which consisted of a cent and a blank planchet. I first thought the initial pic might be a blank planchet, but it doesn't really look like the ones I have here. So weight and dimensions would help. It could be a cent grinded down smooth?
What? A copper slug? Look closer as you can see the outline of a man. I think it's Lincoln but I'm not sure as it's missing a lot of the details. LOL I just had to do that. I agree with a copper slug.
He'd have a hard time proving that it is a penny blank. Take it from the voice of experience. I had one just like that. The curved edge on one side showed where the blanking machine, pushing downward, made contact with the coin metal sheet and the slight edge on the other side shows where the blanking machine cut through the bottom of the coin metal sheet. NGC returned it to me as a "No Grade". Despite the fact that I found it in a $50 US Mint bag of 1980 pennies made little difference to them because I couldn't prove it. I guess the next time I decide to search a bag of pennies, I'll have to submit it for grading unopened. Yeah! Right! ~ Chris
It looks just like your blank planchet only it's smooth across the top instead of having the rim. Like it's filled in, and flat on the bottom.
3.5 grams is on the heavy side. And I believe over the tolerance for a cent. Must be a knockout slug.
I've found slugs (amongst many other things) in cent rolls. If it is a cent planchet, it would be above the upper spec for a copper cent. Possible? Perhaps, but feeling like a copper slug to me.
I was thinking that it might be a slug, but I've never owned one before, so I had to compare it to photos. My weigh scale could be off, too. Do you think that it's worth a plug nickel?!
@dlts That item is something I would hang onto for a while. You will come across things that look odd or different that hits you funny. I have to admit, I've tossed things back dismissing them to find out later that I really should have held onto it. And what would something like this cost you to retain? A cent? Put it into a flip and identify it as a possible copper plug or planchet. With new knowledge or evidence in the future, you may be able to strike one of them off and either have a reference slug...or a blank planchet. Capture the details such as size and weight. Once in the flip, it'll be more of a nuisance to find out later.
Blank copper slugs can be purchased from Joann Fabrics, Michaels and various arts & craft stores. They are used for primarily making home made jewelry. Take pix of these slugs right next to pennies for size comparison and post them up on here.
The 1974 coin was used as a size reference and has no significance, but here are the edge views of the slug that you requested.
