1997 D Penny with no copper plate and wrong size. Un-plated? Wrong planchet? Ideas?

I found this strange 1997 D penny while searching a huge jar of change. It has no copper on it. Its not magnetic. Its also slightly larger in circumference than a regular penny. I thought maybe it was struck on a non-penny planchet, since the sizing is off, but I really have no idea. Its definitely metal. Is this un-plated zinc? If so, why is it larger than it should be? I would appreciate your input.

 

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Do you have the weight of the coin by any chance?
Unfortunately I can't think of anything that would cause that appearance aside from PMD (post-mint damage).
Keep up the hunt!

 

I haven't weighed it, but that is a good idea. I will see if I can get it weighed somewhere on Monday.

Also, it appears to be the same thickness as a regular penny.

 

For the size factor, it may have been placed in between 2 strips of leather and then hit with a hammer to make it larger. As for the color, I would guess it was either the result of a science experiment or perhaps environmental damage.

 

fire damage. a zinc cent will expand slightly if in a fire..

 

This an alteration known as a "Texas cent". The plating was chemically stripped and the coin was compressed or pounded between two pieces of leather (or some other firm, slightly giving material). It is impossible to have proportional expansion of the design on both faces.

 

I've been down the path of sending in 2 Lincolns that were what I thought struck on a zinc planchet. Turns out I was very wrong, and in the field of different planchets, you have to be VERY careful. Don't be ancy to send this one in to be slabbed at all. Mike had a very interesting way to determining the outcome of this coin, and I think it seems surely plausible.

Can you possibly get a shot of the obverse close up? And I am curious to know the weight of the coin. 2.5g-2.6g for copper plated zinc, and 3g-3.1g for solid copper.

 

I only have my phone to take pictures with and I had a grip of trouble getting it to focus close up. My only editing program is MS Paint so aside from rotating a picture, its almost worthless to edit with. I will certainly try to get a better picture though. I will get it weighed at the coin shop sometime this week, when I have the opportunity to get over there.

 

These are the best new pictures I could manage.

 

Sorry bud, you've got a damaged coin in my opinion.
Keep up the hunt!

 

Its all good. I'm pretty new to this so I'm happy to learn about this coin even though it turned out to be junk. Thanks for the help and info guys

 

I have one and it's a 2005