Hello Everyone! I'm new here and I found this site from off of one my favorite You Tube Channels. I do have a strange coin that I'd love anyone's opinion on, as it is just so odd and doesn't historically make any sense. It's an 1981 penny that is suppose to be copper. The copper has mostly worn off. I'd sure love to know your thoughts and if anyone ever has found a coin like mine. I thank you, in advance, for your time and interest. I'd sure appreciate any sources of info or YouTube video or book, anything that could shed some light on what I have here.
Hi -- welcome to CoinTalk! That's one of the colors that copper can turn when it's exposed to the elements. It's just surface corrosion. There isn't any "copper layer" to wear off on pre-1982 cents; they're the same metal all the way through. You could plate other stuff on top of the copper alloy (after the coin leaves the Mint), but again, the cent you have there just looks like it's corroded. You mention "transition error" in your title, referring to coins struck in the wrong metal right after a change in composition. The most famous example is the 1943 copper cent. But those errors happen because one of the old planchets doesn't get struck or thrown away, and finds its way into a batch of the new planchets. 1981 cents were only struck in 1981. Without time travel, there's no way that one could be struck on a late-1982 copper-plated-zinc planchet. That's why I'm pretty sure that you just have a corroded 1981 cent in the pictures.
Wow Thank you and thanks for your time in replying me! I was entertaining the thought that maybeI might havea personal mint employee strike test! It's more reasonable than 'time' travel'! Lol...Again thanks!
Id check the weight ,If it was struck on a penny planchet it should weight 3.11 grams for 81' and bellow,if not very close to that weight ,even with its state of degradation. Is it normal penny size ,diameter wise? Whats the back look like, just curious?
H there and thanks. I sure didn't think about weighing it. Now I have to weigh it, but I'm sure it's just like the other gentlemen stated. I'll post pics ASAP of the back for ya. It also has a weird bar image along the steps on the monument. Crazy coin. The same grey is on the backof the coin at the upper left side.
