1968 dime sized penny, Mint Error?

I found a dime-sized penny in a dime bank roll and don't know what to think about it. Any input will help. I can't get a good picture of the edge but there appears to be a dime in between the copper. Any thoughts?

 

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No clue about the obverse but looks like the reverse saw some grinding. @paddyman98 ?

 

Yeah I'm more concerned about the obverse and the fact that it's the exact same size as a dime. "In God We Trust" looks like to me that it was struck after the mess up.

 

Definitely the weirdest looking cent I have seen yet, What does the third side look like? Especially around the states of America reverse.
It looks like the coin was cut (Hammered) by a rough hole punch.

 

The third side as in the rim view? I'm new to this and trying to learn the terminology. I'll work on getting a shot of the rim but it certainly looks like there is a dime between the copper. It has dime ridges on the very inside they're just hard to see in a picture.

 

I don't see how there is even the most remote possibility that this is anything other than simple damage.

 

I get it, it doesn't make a lot of sense but, I don't understand how Lincoln's shoulder and "In God We Trust" are still visible, defined and continuous if it was just chipped or grinded/damaged. Any post mint damage would have taken all that away I think...

 

If at all possible, try your best to get an edge shot showing the possible reeds of a dime. I still can't wrap my head around this as the bust is complete and it also looks like the VDB is visible to some degree. @Fred Weinberg

 

I'm working on it right now, pardon my ignorance but what does VDB stand for? Thanks for the help.

 

The designers initials at the base of the bust. Victor David Brenner. You might be able to see them better than I if they are there.

 

Correct the rim is the third side. What does the cent weigh?
I still have no doubts that the coin has been altered.

 

Over the years people have found so many ways to alter and damage coins. I don't know how they accomplished the Cent in question but I do know that it is not a Mint Error.
IGWT is the original and not restruck as the OP thinks.

 

No VDB but here are a few rim shots. The best I can do with what I have.

 

I don't think it was restruck, I'm saying it was struck on an already damaged planchet. Who would alter a dime to make it look like a penny? Personally I think a dime got into the pennies somehow and was treated as such until size sorting. There is a dime in between the copper...

 

I don't have a scale yet. I just don't see the point in altering a dime into a penny...

 

Okay, then perhaps it would be best to explain exactly how this as a whole could have occurred during the minting process. Can you? I can't.

Tens of billions of cents have been minted since 1968, and there are literally countless ways for each to have been damaged. This considered, it is usually best to assume the most obvious and/or likely scenario until or unless the anomaly can logically be explained.

 

I agree, I can't explain it besides somehow a dime somehow got stuck with pennies and went through the penny process. But, like you said, it doesn't make much sense. Neither does the opinion that it was altered by someone post mint. I appreciate the input, I'm going to get a scale right now. Should help a lot.

 

I threw some crappy pics up. I'm 99.9% positive there is a dime in between, just hard to get a pic of the ridges with my I phone and cheap loupe.

 

Problem is.. that is not a Dime Planchet.. it's a copper planchet, so.. it's not a Dime it's just a damaged Cent

 

I beg to differ. There is a ridged silver colored center on the edge identical to a dime, sandwiched between two copper colors. It's hard to capture withy iPhone but I shared some on this thread of the ridge. It's the exact same size as a dime as well. I need to find a way to capture the dime ridges in the center.