Please help newbie with strange 1945 Wheat Penny

I am not a collector by any means and my knowledge of coins is limited at best. Found a strange 1945 Wheat Penny in roll of other Wheat's. Here's what is strange: The coin isn't uniform in thickness and difference in thickness is easily detected by touch and site. Ridges on outer edge of coin are also very high. Lastly, most strange to me is that when the coin is dropped on a table from height of 2-3" it has a distinctly different sound as it clangs around than a "normal" coin dropped from same. I took it to a local coin dealer, he looked at it under lens eyepiece and he said that it doesn't appear to have been altered or damaged post mint. Said it is likely some sort of error/misstruck coin but he was unable to say type of error. Any information is appreciated...Andy in Nebraska

 

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Looks like a washing machine cent.

 

Welcome to CT!:welcome:

On second thought, dryer coin. Maybe with lamination.

 

Not sure what you mean.. ???? A coin that has spent time in the machine?? Coin Dealer that looked at it didn't think it was damaged or altered post mint. Thanks Though

 

Welcome to the neighborhood, Andy!

Would you show us a photo of the obverse (heads)?

Chris

 

I apologize, I meant to say dryer coin. As the coin tumbles the sides will naturally flatten and rise up above the faces of the coin.

 

The only problem with that theory is that the edge is too perfectly uniform, and that is something that JUST WON"T HAPPEN at random in a dryer.

Chris

 

As the dryer goes round, the cent will strike the inside of the dryer many many times that each point around the coin statistically will receive the same number of hits, thus producing the uniform ring effect.

 

BS!

Your honor, I move to have this testimony stricken from the record. The witness is not an expert at riding inside a dryer.

Chris

 

You are a funny man! I actually tried it for an hour and did not get dramatic results, however, the theory is sound. If I must let a cent bang around in a dryer all day to prove the theory, I will.

 

Just added pic of heads side.

 

What do you see Cris? I would say a dryer coin also, although my explanation is a little different. If you look in the back of most dryers, There is a small depression where the back is joined to the drum. The cents ( being of softer composition ) get back to this depression and then "roll" around and the slight 'cent'rifugal force flattens the edge, and a slight wobble would make it beveled. They don't bounce around, and they also have to work their way to the back or front. Throw a handful of cents in the dryer with clothes, and I bet you only get a "dryer coin" once in a great while.

I think his previous ( now burned and crushed) car would satisfy the definition close enough.

 

Thank you. I will replicate the experiment!

PS I'm not sure if my car has been crushed yet.

 

I guess the local coin dealer in business for 30+ years that looked at it under lens has never seen a dryer coin before and is an unreliable source of information....hmmmm

 

Yes, I know he's good at torching cars, but it is statistically improbable for a coin to randomly strike literally every minute segment of the circumference of the coin to shape it so perfectly.

I say he should carry a can opener for the hood.

Chris

 

No expert but I have seen many many like that from being rolled in some sort of machine I Can not believe a dealer told you dif , But then again I took a circa 1930's 1 carrot diamond ring to a 70 year old jeweler and he could not tell me if it was real or fake and he has been in the business for about 50 + years. It was not until he put it on his diamond sensing machine that it read fake. I still kept it for a lonely lady someday. Can you weigh it?

 

I was the lucky one who was up in the doctor's office. My wife told me the fire department had a really big saw that they used to open up the hood. She also told me that if the fire department hadn't arrived when they did, the rather large tree in front of (what used to be our car) would have caught fire.

 

Or you can simply "spoon" the coin to get the results you seek much more quickly. Of course this would not prove the dryer theory, but is the method used on coins many refer to as dryer coins.

Don't make the assumption that a dealer, regardless of how long they have been in business, is an expert in all things coin related. This can be especially true with many B&Ms since most generally are not specialist in any specific areas. This gentleman may be an excellent resource for you in many ways, so do not be quick to dismiss him.

 

Hey... another opportunity to post my "dryer" coins:

 

Niiiiiiiice!

PS I have spooned a quarter before.