1996 cent - This has to be a DDR!

It's a repeating scenario when newbie collectors come to the forum ... after 6, 9 or 12 months or more they look back at their original questions and come to realize how much they had then learned and how far off base they were. Then there were some that just left to get belittled (and kicked off) on other websites for the same crazy self-serving observations.

The best one can do is start learning about the minting process. Both today's process and past processes which will help indicate what can and can't happen over various decades, etc. (learning *and understanding* about all this stuff will literally take years). Today's cheapified cent is One of today's mass hysteria issues related to a thin copper plate over a zinc core which was designed for low cost only ... not that it's bad to cover zinc with copper which causes tons of problems. As we all know coins for circulation are designed as money first and foremost and not with the "collectors" in mind searching for minute "errors".

Of course this could be a scratched die, or a plating bubbles/blisters or even damage.

Of course any time we see black stuff too we think corrosion.
and looking closely at this we can see the details were pushed down (and pushed around a little), and black areas. Maybe this area/marks are just damage from some machine or something?

 

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