1944 silver wheat penny

Hello all,

I just found a 1944 silver wheat penny in a 50 roll from a casino I went to the other week (I have them change up $20 at a time in the hope of finding a double die), its not the normal color.

What is it worth.

Thanks

Edit: When I stick a magnet on it, it picks it up.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

If it's genuine it's worth a small fortune. But the operative word is "genuine".

 

Small fortune? About $500.00?

I scanned some pictures, just not sure how to upload them.

Edit: How do I tell if its genuine?

 

The only know 1944-S went for $350,000. However, it was know to be genuine. Since yours sticks to a magnet, it absolutely is a fake. Therefore, if you can get someone to take it, it is worth 1¢

 

Absolutely a fake, how so?

Mine is just a 1944 silver penny (without the S or D).

Okay, if its a fake, cool. It was nice to think that I may have something. Out of curiosity, if it wasn't to stick, would that mean it wasn't a fake?

Hmmm, I'm glad I wasn't full blown excited which is because I was thinking it maybe a fake as it has some brown around the edges (kind alike a regular penny).

Thanks for the help.

 

I am sorry. I said it wrong on the magnet. But I will still bet it is fake. At least 9,999,999 out of 10,000,000 they are fake. Actually, I am rather surprised that it stuck to the magnet. Usually, they are just zinc or mercury coated. As for posting pictures, See
http://www.cointalk.com/t8565/

and

http://www.cointalk.com/t73435/#post708153

 

Looks like a good forgery then. Here are some pics of my forgery. No the sharpest pics, but something cool to look at cause this had me fooled that it was a real penny.

Luckily I found out it was a forgery before learning what it may have been, LoL.

Edit: I'm surprised it stuck to a magnet too, I was just holding it by a kitchen magnet 3 feet off my desk, LoL.

How many steel pennies have been found?

 

The weight would be important to know also. I am assuming that it is in well used condition, so my next consideration would be a close inspection of the date, especially the last 4. Looking forward to photos, and welcome to the forum.

Jim

 

Welcome to coin-nuts world HumptyDumpty :smile

 

Thank you both for the welcomings.

Yeah, may scanner/printer is pretty crap. But after sitting on the can for 20 minutes (I just couldn't get up after reading what it may be) with a magnifying glass, there are no defects with the last "4".

Because there is brown around the edges though, I'm thinking that someone may have put it in a bottle of soda to strip away the usual brown coating that I find on wheat pennies.
I cannot explain why it sticks to a magnet though.

Edit: Yeah Jim, it looks pretty worn, but very shinny. I'm surprised to have found it (even if it is a fake) but not surprised at a casino as the people there will change anything for a pull on the slot machine.

 

You asked haw many here are. There are 27 from Philadelphia. (With no mint mark, that is where yours is supposed to be from). 7 from Denver and 1 from San Francisco (@$350,000). As shiny as yours appears, I am pretty sure it is a fake, but you need to weigh it accurate to at least 1/100 a gram). Assuming you don't have a scale, take it to a jewelers.

BTW, if memory serves me, the last one of these was found in the 1950's.

 

Yeah, I just got back from a local dealer, he looked at it and flat out said it was a Mercury coated 1944. That sucks... LoL.

Edit: Two cents is what he said its worth...

ETA2: I just read theat Mercury isn't magnetic... Is this true (I don't have a any solid Mercury laying around, LoL).

I guess I'm curious as to whether or not Mercury would stick to a magnet, seeing as he said it was Mercury after looking at the coin through a plastic sandwich bag

 

I hate to tell the both of you this, but a mercury coated 1944 will NOT stick to a magnet. Someone has something wrong somewhere.

 

Hey, RLM... You have brought a half smile to me.

Okay, I know I'm have been going on about this for a few hours now, but I'm sure you can understand why.

Well, the dealer earlier on said that it was mercury covered and only worth two cents (he didn't weigh or use a magnet).

My coin sticks to a magnet, a regular magnet that I grabbed off the fridge.

Please help me out here, without sending to a one of the big three certification companies (yet), what should I look for in a fake?

Its the whole magnetic that's really throwing me off.

I'm planning on taking this to a jewley store in an hour so so, how much should it weigh? Well don't answer, I'll post the weight when I get back.

I'd still like to know what an actual forgery though as all I usually look for is d/d and haven't been able to find out about fake 44's on google.

Thanks.

 

Perhaps someone gave it a bath in steel (or other metallic substance)? It is hard to tell from the pictures, but it looks exactly like a copper coated 1943 steel penny that I have. Also, a coated penny will appear thicker when set side by side a “normal” penny with similar wear.

 

I think it is a nickel plating on a copper coin. Nickel is attracted to a magnet in various alloys.

Jim

 

A copper cent (mercury coated) should weigh 3.11 gms. A steel cent from 1943/44 should weigh 2.70 gms. Although mint spec say the weight is +-5%, they are typically much closer than that.

 

At a glance

This is a fun junction to be at. Could be nothing/Could be something.

My 1st thought was a mercury dipped '43.

(We could do this back in the '50's)

What is the weight?

(Don't you hate submissions like this with Trick or Treat knocking on your door?)

 

It's definitely plated, probably with nickel. Nickel will stick to a magnet.

It took only a quick look to determine that the coin is plated. The surface is uneven and the details are not sharp but in effect rounded due to the way the plating covers the surface of the coin.

Thanks,
Bill

 

I just got back from 3 jewelers.

I have a regular 1944 brown penny and the one I've been asking about.

The brown one weighs in at 3.1 grams, and the silver one weighs in at 2.9 grams which is considerably more than what RLM stated, but also considerably less than a 1944 copper penny.

Edit: Damn I'm ****ed, who would waste so much time to trick others... Although, I'd probably have a laugh if I were them too, LoL.