What’s Up With This Coin?

I’ve had this coin since 1984, the year it was minted. Looks like the copper plating was not applied correctly. To remove it and have it look the way it does, well I just never heard of anyone being that good.

 

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Hopefully better photos

 

Improper plating

 

Looks like a diluted Mercury experiment.

 

This was my first any only thought.

 

Yeah that too but that would turn it completely silver as I've done it. Mercury flows to easy as well fast to have the reverse to look like that.

 

I thought that too, a science experiment.

 

I just don’t see how it could turn out the way it looks other than it wasn’t copper coated correctly. This was only the second year they used copper coated zinc to make cents.

 

I don't know. People post silver or gold pennies. From what I hear those are science experiments.

 

It looks like heat tint (toning)

Years ago, I worked for a company that made copper plated cookware. A consumer complaint was that the copper came off. It didn't. Under certain heating conditions with gas or propane, the copper can turn a silvery color. The copper finish came back with a little polish

Your cent has the same coloration as those copper plated pans. Get an XRF to see if there is any copper (note: an XRF scan of a zincoln cent will show both copper and zinc since then plating is so thin)

 

Yes. I agree. Heat can cause this look.