Corroded Pennies

I found this lot of penny shaped discs and some pennies while metal detecting in a creek. I have no idea what date are these: What happened to these pennies?

 

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Could it be electrolytic corrosion caused by the interaction of the copper surface and zinc core in a wet environment?

 

On copper plated zinc cents, once the plating is breached, the zinc is exposed to the elements and can corrode. Similar to what happens to iron/steel

 

It doesn’t matter what happened, it did. Looks like zinc cents. All damaged but you know that.

 

Dang, those are so bad you can't even turn them in.

 

Post mid 1982.
That's when they started using copper plated zinc planchets.

Here are some from my detecting finds.


I have found hundreds like them over the years

 

well a slightly acidic or alkaline solution to get in between the zinc and copper for them to corrode

 

Post 1982 Lincolns will be rarities three generations from now.