1940 Steel Penny-Questions

I have what I believe is a 1940 Steel penny. I was looking for some information on it since I can't seem to find any info online about it at all. It is magnetic, I checked after a local coin shop I called said it could of been dipped in acid but that putting a magnetic would disprove this.

Any information would help, thanks!


Edit:
You can see on the side it looks like something rubbed off and looks tarnished. I have no way to weigh it at this time but if you guys still think I should after seeing theses pictures let me know.

Thanks

 

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That looks similar to two 1950s pennies I have. I believe that they are dipped in silver because of the luster it gives off. That is not steel because that is showing you your reflection on the coin, steel doesn't reflect like that.

 

Silver is not magnetic nor is copper(zinc), and this coin is magnetic which is what is confusing me;

 

But chrome plating is magnetic. Your coin is definitely plated.

 

chrome plated novelty coin, plated for jewelry.

 

Steel planchets were not made, or even considered, in 1940, therefor your coin cannot be steel. Your coin has been electroplated with chrome or nickel, both magnetic metals. Your coin has been damaged OUTSIDE the mint.

 

Can a magnet pick it off the ground or are we talking 'some slight attraction' only?

 

It appears to be a coin plated post-mint, which would make it a form of PMD, or "Post-mint damage".

 

It's a novelty reprocessed cent similar to the tens of thousands of 1943 cents that have been reprocessed over the years.

 

That looks like a 1988D penny I found a few weeks ago. The one I have is very shiny, not quite the right color of a normal penny, and the rim looks rounded and polished.

 

I recently found a penny (I believe it is a 1993-D) that is a shiny silvery color. The guy at the local coin shop said that it is genuine and is an error coin and was not plated.

 

Did he make an offer? No? Then it's not an error. After leaving the mint, it's had its copper plating removed somehow.

 

The "guy at the coin shop" is mistaken, lol.

 

And I think that, if you reverse the polarity, you can strip the copper from the cent.

 

Mercury will turn cents a silver color. I did this as a kid. Today we know that playing with mercury is a really bad idea.

 

Yep. But it will also strip some of the zinc as well so the final surfaces will not have the smooth surfaces or luster that an unc coin would have.

 

I have a 1940 (plain) penny silver in color. BUT it's not steel because it's not magnetic.
It's been in a coin book for years, so it shines.

Where can I find a value or story?

Jenni50@aol.com

 

Welcome to the forum. The first thing to do is weigh the coin. That will help you get good answers about the coin. Images are also helpful.

 

Necropmongers.........