Completely Stumped

I have come across a 1944 Lincoln Cent that has me stumped. It is the same diameter as any other cent, but it is very very thin (worse on one edge than the other). It is also more than a gram light. There is wear on the coin but nowhere near enough to account for the weight loss or the thickness loss. What am I missing? If counterfeit, why?

 

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Wear and tear. Worn down. Welcome to CT.

 

I'm in the "who gives a crap" camp. It's a POS coin. Toss it.

 

Such a welcoming crowd.

 

Welcome to CT! I am sorry but that is PMD...
Keep looking!

 

Don’t take offense to anything. Some of the “wording” may not be up to par. I’m no pro but learned about you post what you like and ask what you want to ask. Can’t promise some will respond.

 

There is no reason to take up for that yahoo. This is obviously not where anyone still excited about coins and learning about them needs to be.

 

This is actually the exact place one should be! First it's free knowledge that you will receive here. And collectively between everyone on this sight there is hundreds of years of knowledge. Much more than me or you would be able to obtain in our life times! So I wouldn't be so quick to say stuff like that. And when people reply it may not be what you want to hear but there sure not gonna surger coat anything. But it's with all good intentions behind it.

 

The Corgi barks a lot, but he has redeeming qualities.

If your coin had been struck on a thin or underweight planchet, I would expect it to be weakly struck, and I don't see that.

I think it was etched (corroded) in acid. That reduces the coin's thickness (and diameter, though not as noticeably), while retaining and even sometimes enhancing the struck details. Think of restoring a date on a Buffalo nickel. The metal that's squeezed up into the devices gets "work hardened", and acid attacks it more slowly than the metal that didn't get yanked around during the strike.

So, I think your cent's missing weight probably got dissolved and washed away. It's hard to be sure, but that would be my bet.

 

I will grant that if someone says something I don't agree with, so be it. But that response was just someone who thinks they are high and mighty being an edited. There are plenty of forums and communities concerning coins. I choose not to be a part of one that holds someone like that up as a good example, and then defends them. I'm not looking for sugar-coated anything. However, I am due the respect that anyone should be given when they ask a simple question. I find it hard to accept that there were "good intentions" behind that kind of treatment.

 

Could be the larger part of a clamshell.
The reverse details are weak.

 

@Jason Forbis certainly a belated welcome as you've been a member since 11/2019, albeit with no active participation.

Please don't judge the masses based on one members rude comment. I do agree with you, it was an uncalled for response to your query.

As for your coin in question, I also agree it is likely PMD (Post Mint Damage). @-jeffB came up with a viable reason for the underweight and thin appearance of your cent. I don't see the acid corrosion as being prevalent on the obverse, but I can see it on the reverse.

Again, welcome to CT. There are a boatload of knowledgeable numismatists on this site.

 

Could of been dipped in acid and caused it to corrode.
https://www.error-ref.com/acid-shrunk-coins/

Welcome to CoinTalk Jason

Mr. Ed - Specializing in collecting Mint Errors since 1986.

 

Welcome to CT.
Don't let one member or post, drive you away from CT. You will get good honest answers here. I agree that the coin is just damaged. Acid is the best bet. Many like it have been posted here in the past.

 

First this was minted on a thin planchet. Second, it’s a shame about its condition but it has seen a rough life in circulation. The thin area at 9:00 is from damage. It was struck on the edge very close to the rim and with the thin planchet, well you can see the result.
And third I want to add that this is a great place to be to learn about coins. You are a 3 year member with 5 posts. We see so many coins like yours and so many new members are looking to get rich it just makes us sick. That makes for short, not so polite, answers. You will receive honest answers from most members but you need to get to know us as well. But you will get truthful answers.

 

It's a thin planchet. They're not always in tolerance. That said, I'm sorry to break it to you, but nobody here cares. Especially in that beat-up condition. But there's your designation if you're losing sleep for one, it's a thin, out-of-tolerance, planchet.

 

Acid/chemically treated.

Didn't start out as a thin planchet error, imo.

 

Great. Just as I suspected. Thanks Fred.

 

My point being that it doesn't matter how it became a POS. It is what it is.

 

We all have good days, and bad days, so some responses come across as demeaning when they aren't meant to be.