1943 penny... Woody?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by GH#75, Sep 1, 2020.

  1. GH#75

    GH#75 Trying to get 8 hours of sleep in 4. . .

    Never thought this could happen to a steel cent... But it looks like a bit of a woody to me. What do you think? IMG_20200901_155115366.jpg IMG_20200901_155133557.jpg IMG_20200901_155115366~2.jpg

    Visible on the obverse fields. Very minor, but I think it's there.
     
    john65999 and TonkawaBill like this.
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  3. John Burgess

    John Burgess Well-Known Member

    Best Answer
    it's a zinc coated steel cent, it can have roller lines, it can't be a "woodie" the composition of the planchet is 99% steel with a thin layer of zinc, steel easily takes on lines from rolling to get it at the right thickness, these lines will show through the plating on struck coins even and don't always get obliterated in the strike.

    Not trying to offend anyone here so please don't take the next part as offensive but
    in my opinion, neither of the bronze cents on this thread are woodies so far, both look to be environmentally damaged or scratched heavily mechanically.

    this is an example of a woody although not as dramatic as others, it's got nothing at all to do with scratches or pitting or uniform lines and everything to do with the metal composition toning at different rates because the Bronze alloy isn't mixed well (95% copper, 2.5% tin, 2.5% zinc.) its due to an improperly mixed alloy and the mix toning at different rates over time. all of the luster is there with the toning and cartwheels with light still. 20190907_Internet_20190907_145738_7.jpg.jpg 20190907_Internet_20190907_145738_8.jpg.jpg


    this next one below Is an example of roller lines on a plated cent this one is copper plated zinc. this is not plating bubbles or linear plating blisters, this is roller lines from the machine to bring the zinc sheet to spec thickness. it's present on obverse and reverse and is present on fields and devices. the below is an extreme example of roller lines. a lot of it normally gets obliterated in the strike. but if the rollers are well worn, the grooves it imparts on the metal being rolled thinner get deeper.I know the picture appears like the lines are raised, but they are not. the lines are incused on obverse and reverse. if it were linear plating blisters, they would be raised, or if it were heavy die abrasions, they would be raised. lines are there on lincolns forehead, nose, cheek, neck, jacket, even the deepest recesses it's still faintly there all incused. same on reverse through the memorial, and the stairs, the lines persist in the deepest parts of the strike, just weaker/less noticeable at the most deep points.

    20190714_IMG_2019-07-14_13-09-19-ccfopt.jpg 20190714_IMG_2019-07-14_13-09-56-ccfopt.jpg

    I would say the steel cent is likely staining,, a possibility of slight roller lines, the zinc plating on the steel cent is not an alloy and so it will not tone at different rates to give an appearance of a woodie, it's literally all pure zinc coated.

    the 1919 S graininess is likely environmental damage, maybe a bit of time spent in acidic soil? Just a guess on this. I believe it's PMD.
    the 1920's something (1926?) cent could be roller lines, but could be done by an abrasive also there appear to be lines that don't fit the rolling pattern direction, but that could be due to two sources of the lines that are seen, one of roller lines, and one of abrasions. I'm feeling PMD here also.

    Again, I am not trying to offend anyone on here or rag on people's coins, just giving my opinions on what I'm seeing and what I know to be on this topic and wanting to share. Please don't take it personal. I can be wrong, maybe I am, just my 2 cents. I spent a long time on all these planchet issues to figure out the differences of these planchet issues, and in the end, really none of it is value adding, since it's all "pre-strike" or planchet preparation problems and not really "mint errors". the added value might come if you have an auction with a few woodie collectors that are looking for a certain toning pattern for their set that will pay extra to fight for it and bid it up. My opinion, that will happen with any coin if a number of collectors bidding at an auction consider a coin to have exceptional eye appeal.
    Anyways, my 2 cents, take it for what it's worth! Hahahaha
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2020
  4. GH#75

    GH#75 Trying to get 8 hours of sleep in 4. . .

    Ok, now I'm 99% sure of it. Look at this:

    Normal woody: upload_2020-9-1_16-1-43.png
    Notice the grainy texture.

    My coin:
    IMG_20200901_155950084.jpg

    Has the same grainy texture, just a little finer.
     
    capthank likes this.
  5. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    I can't see it. Look like roller marks. The '19s doesn't look like a woody either IMO
     
  6. cpm9ball

    cpm9ball CANNOT RE-MEMBER

  7. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Not a woodie. Looks like a nice roller mark. I'm not seeing an improper alloy mix on the copper cent either but definitely not on the steel Cent.
     
  8. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    I'll go with staining on the 1943.
     
    Cheech9712 likes this.
  9. Inspector43

    Inspector43 More than 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

  10. White Ger. Shep. Lover

    White Ger. Shep. Lover Well-Known Member

    I think when this shutdown ends we need to kickstart our "Woody 101" class at once. Expat & Collecting Nut would make great profs.
     
  11. GH#75

    GH#75 Trying to get 8 hours of sleep in 4. . .

    I know what a woody looks like on a normal copper cent, but on this 1943 cent, I thought it might look different. I know a woody is just an improper alloy mix. I figured if some other kind of metal somehow got in the zinc coating, then it could cause it to look like what you see in my pictures.
     
  12. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    The 1919 and the 1943 are not what most collectors would call woodies.
     
    Cheech9712 likes this.
  13. Goldsayshi463

    Goldsayshi463 the person who says "hi" all the time

    The 1943 steel cent can’t be a woodie cuz it’s main alloy is steel alone just alone so it can’t have an improper mixture although since long ago steel is iron and carbon but carbon is in low amounts so it can’t make a woodie
     
    Cheech9712 and GH#75 like this.
  14. GH#75

    GH#75 Trying to get 8 hours of sleep in 4. . .

    True. But I know a woodie when I see one... I thought the 1919 s was a variety of a woody, if you know what I mean. And the 43' looked like it, so I thought it was a woody too. But I did learn that a woody isn't the... Design thing going on on the 1919. I thought it was a woody because it had those two different colors and there appeared to be "slivers" on it.
     
  15. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

  16. Goldsayshi463

    Goldsayshi463 the person who says "hi" all the time

    paddyman98 likes this.
  17. Goldsayshi463

    Goldsayshi463 the person who says "hi" all the time

    well it’s a improper texture in the fields area but the lines are going perpendicular or through the coin and a proper woodie has lines parallel or going along the fields within the coin or goes through the rim
     
  18. John Burgess

    John Burgess Well-Known Member

    Best Answer
    it's a zinc coated steel cent, it can have roller lines, it can't be a "woodie" the composition of the planchet is 99% steel with a thin layer of zinc, steel easily takes on lines from rolling to get it at the right thickness, these lines will show through the plating on struck coins even and don't always get obliterated in the strike.

    Not trying to offend anyone here so please don't take the next part as offensive but
    in my opinion, neither of the bronze cents on this thread are woodies so far, both look to be environmentally damaged or scratched heavily mechanically.

    this is an example of a woody although not as dramatic as others, it's got nothing at all to do with scratches or pitting or uniform lines and everything to do with the metal composition toning at different rates because the Bronze alloy isn't mixed well (95% copper, 2.5% tin, 2.5% zinc.) its due to an improperly mixed alloy and the mix toning at different rates over time. all of the luster is there with the toning and cartwheels with light still. 20190907_Internet_20190907_145738_7.jpg.jpg 20190907_Internet_20190907_145738_8.jpg.jpg


    this next one below Is an example of roller lines on a plated cent this one is copper plated zinc. this is not plating bubbles or linear plating blisters, this is roller lines from the machine to bring the zinc sheet to spec thickness. it's present on obverse and reverse and is present on fields and devices. the below is an extreme example of roller lines. a lot of it normally gets obliterated in the strike. but if the rollers are well worn, the grooves it imparts on the metal being rolled thinner get deeper.I know the picture appears like the lines are raised, but they are not. the lines are incused on obverse and reverse. if it were linear plating blisters, they would be raised, or if it were heavy die abrasions, they would be raised. lines are there on lincolns forehead, nose, cheek, neck, jacket, even the deepest recesses it's still faintly there all incused. same on reverse through the memorial, and the stairs, the lines persist in the deepest parts of the strike, just weaker/less noticeable at the most deep points.

    20190714_IMG_2019-07-14_13-09-19-ccfopt.jpg 20190714_IMG_2019-07-14_13-09-56-ccfopt.jpg

    I would say the steel cent is likely staining,, a possibility of slight roller lines, the zinc plating on the steel cent is not an alloy and so it will not tone at different rates to give an appearance of a woodie, it's literally all pure zinc coated.

    the 1919 S graininess is likely environmental damage, maybe a bit of time spent in acidic soil? Just a guess on this. I believe it's PMD.
    the 1920's something (1926?) cent could be roller lines, but could be done by an abrasive also there appear to be lines that don't fit the rolling pattern direction, but that could be due to two sources of the lines that are seen, one of roller lines, and one of abrasions. I'm feeling PMD here also.

    Again, I am not trying to offend anyone on here or rag on people's coins, just giving my opinions on what I'm seeing and what I know to be on this topic and wanting to share. Please don't take it personal. I can be wrong, maybe I am, just my 2 cents. I spent a long time on all these planchet issues to figure out the differences of these planchet issues, and in the end, really none of it is value adding, since it's all "pre-strike" or planchet preparation problems and not really "mint errors". the added value might come if you have an auction with a few woodie collectors that are looking for a certain toning pattern for their set that will pay extra to fight for it and bid it up. My opinion, that will happen with any coin if a number of collectors bidding at an auction consider a coin to have exceptional eye appeal.
    Anyways, my 2 cents, take it for what it's worth! Hahahaha
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2020
  19. John Burgess

    John Burgess Well-Known Member

    Same 1915 cent with cold LED lighting, it gives it a more "blue color" but highlights the streaky blotchy toning differently. I like the natural light pictures better of course but this kind of brings out the less toned reverse, streaking a bit more. most notably from the rim point at the T in a triangle at about the K4 position. all shades of browns, but with this lighting you get impressions of red purple yellow. I think with pictures and toning, lighting is really everything 20190519_IMG_2019-05-19_21-05-38_zpslcqvffaj_edit_1558314589455-ccfopt.jpg 20190519_IMG_2019-05-19_21-04-53_zpsy5jvr416_edit_1558314635831-ccfopt.jpg

    anyways, I feel like I should send this for grading, I've always called it high AU but the more I look at these pictures I think it might pass as low MS and be weakness and not wear... That's it for me, I'm bordering on highjacking the topic at this point I think :)
    I like woodies. That's the only one I own though, I lucked into it like 20 years ago coin roll hunting.
     
    Last edited: Sep 2, 2020
  20. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Well-Known Member

    I just gave @John Burgess Best Answer for his thorough explanation. Thank you John.
     
  21. John Burgess

    John Burgess Well-Known Member

    Thank you Mountain Man!

    That is my first! :woot: only took 13 months to get one of those hahaha
     
    Inspector43 and GH#75 like this.
  22. Inspector43

    Inspector43 More than 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    They are not given lightly. Good job.
     
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