2000 D Lincoln "steel? silver? aluminum?" penny?!?!?

As stated start a new thread. Pictures are always needed. FYI there are no silver or steel 2000 Cents. It's most likely a zinc planchet with no copper plating.

 

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@paddyman98
But is it altered or struck missing the copper plate?

 

That can be determined by a photo. If the plating was removed after it was struck,
or if it was struck without the plating.
Of course the odds are the plating was removed post mint, but every once in a while
a true error does emerge from the detritus of coin slag.

 

Everybody keeps saying "heat" That is kinda ridiculous Because zinc melts BEFORE copper (Zinc-419.5 degrees Copper-1084 degrees)! I am a life-long (44yrs) exotic metals fabricator and believe I know what I am talking about here. I have stripped the copper from zinc pennies many times and it has been done with almost any type of weak acid. I have used lemon juice, vinegar, CLR, and diluted sulfuric (battery acid) and they always come out looking EXACTLY like this coin.

 

The plating is so incredibly thin, it can probably be heated and melted without
melting the zinc core.

 

Maybe so but I would'nt try it

 

Zinc melts at 420C copper melts at 1085C. The Zn will melt way before the Cu, regardless of how thin the plating.

 

I know what the melting point of copper is.
There are other chemicals involved but it doesn't take 1085 degrees Celsius to remove 20 microns of copper plating.
The plating is removed without melting the zinc.

Sodium hydroxide - 10g
Sulfur - 15g
Add water to 100ml
First, boil for 30 minutes to dissolve the sulfur.
Then, put the penny in and run it at 185-205F to convert the copper to copper sulfide, which is a loose coating that is easily removed.

There is even a You Tube video showing the process.

 

thank you Oldhoopster.been trying to tell these people that but they all seem to want to argue the point. I might add that the melting points are in Celsius. Fahrenheit temps would be Copper about 2000 maybe 1900 and Zinc right around 800

 

Thats just wonderful mike

 

I have no issue with the chemical removal of the copper plating. The way I read your earlier post led me to believe that you were suggesting that The copper could be removed by heat alone. That surprised me a little because you always have great posts regarding chemistry. I must have misinterpreted what you meant.

 

Mike must have a PHD in chemistry. Or maybe he is a metallurgy professor at M.I.T

 

OK, help me out here.

Copper is pretty low on the activity scale. It won't displace hydrogen, so weak acids shouldn't touch it unless there's also an oxidative and/or complexing component.

Zinc, on the other hand, is VERY reactive. It'll happily displace hydrogen from weak acids. And when it's in contact with a less active metal, like copper, it will galvanically protect the copper - by dissolving even faster itself.

So how can a weak acid like the ones you list strip copper and leave zinc intact?

 

Do you have one? In what? Do you have some pictures of the coins you removed the plating from, I would love to see them.

 

Hi I also I have a 2000 silver penny I weighed it and weighs 2.2 g the same weight as the dime on my scale Wade it’s the same size as a penny but not as thick here’s a picture of it any information would be very helpful to me

 

It's not actually silver. That's supposed to be a Copper Plated Zinc Planchet Cent. Your Cent probably had the plating removed post mint. The weight of a 2000 Cent is usually 2.5 grams. The missing plating is what makes it a bit lighter.