Hey all - so I aquired 5 rolls of wheat pennies "unsearched" from someone. I say unsearched only because they weren't really a collector just amassed some rolls of wheat cents. That being said, nothing too exciting in there but filled in 20 holes of my wheat folder. So, I did find a few interesting pieces I have some questions on just to work on my knowledge and get back into the swing of things after a break from the hobby. First and foremost I'm 100% aware I have nothing special or valuable here. That being said, here's a few interesting ones I pulled aside. #1 This one has a decent amount of wear obviously but I'm wondering if the date in particular is struck through grease or a weak strike perhaps? I can't make out the final digit of the year. #2 Here's another perhaps better example. Most of the date on this one stands nice and tall but the 7 is barely visible. Actually was harder to see under my loupe. Again, struck through grease? #3 One more example, this one with the biggest contrast in my opinion as the coin isn't all that worn, most of the date and the rim stand nice and tall but the 2 is barely visible. #4 Last one - This one I'm just not sure about. Is this a cleaned or dipped coin? It's super bright, too bright isn't it? I know nothing about picked out cleaned coins and it frankly doesn't matter much on this one but I'm just using it as a learning experience so any insight is helpful. Thanks! Oh I did find a couple of older wheats in very worn condition, a 1918 and a 1917. Otherwise was a pretty unexciting 5 rolls. Was nice to fill in some of my folder though.
I think you're right about all three of the struck-through-grease candidates. As for the 1955-S, yeah, it got exposed to something, and unevenly. Without a color reference, I can't tell whether that brassy shade is "natural" or not, but the dark spots definitely show the copper reacting with something. Could have been just about anything -- soda, food, sneezes, whatever. It looks like you're taking a good approach. I've spent some happy hours going through rolls that didn't contain anything this interesting!
Possibly the 194? are 1946 and similar to the one @Myka Gilliam posted earlier. Grease filled. What would be amazing is if they were all from the same die. Other markers would be necessary to determine that though. Possibly the position of the mint mark.
Notice how the coins 1,2 & 4 all have weakness in the same area. Those two areas the most common places for weakness on Lincoln cents due to Abe's head and shoulder on the opposite side. I would weight them to eliminate the possibility of them being a Thin Planchet Defect as opposed to being a Weak Strike coin. I would call #3 a Struck Through Debris/Grease. The thing about grease is that it does not repeatedly show up in the same spot of a coin.
Most likely they are struck through grease. As for the 1955-S, it was exposed to something that no longer matters.
They all weigh within tolerance, 3.08g - 3.16g Ya I could see in the middle on the obverse something for sure reacted with it. The rest of the coin just looked "too good" to me. Perhaps it was part of someones set at one point then made it into the wild, idk. it stuck out amongst all the brown wheats I was pouring through though.
It looks like a nice uncirculated cent and someone spilled something on it, like soda or ketchup. It’s toast now.
