Has anyone heard or seen any info about a 1981-S Proof Lincoln Cent that is Silver in color? I found this at my LCS in a box with 10 other 1981-S Proof cents that were all copper colored. Could this be some kind of special mint issue? He let me purchase it. It weighs 3.14 grams. The surface has a deep reflective field that I would expect on a proof but is slightly impared. Around Abe's eye and nose there is a slight copper color. Looks like bleed through. first photo. It is the edge that is interesting to me. It has copper strip that makes me think it can not be post strike plating. I used the 2017 for contrast.
It looks like it was plated after it left the mint. I believe the “line” you see running around the edge is from a wire that was used to hold the coin in the plating bath. Why would somebody plate a proof?? Who knows? But that’s what it looks like to me.
I have other plated cents, two tin (silver colored) one gold and one copper. None of these show a wire line on the edge on the coin. Plated on all three sides. Having the wire on the edge gives the allusion of a cent being struck on a dime planchet, which is quite devious. And a very plausible purpose. I am amazed that post mint plating would still show field reflextion and frosted designs. But I have never seen a plated Proof before, so I have no comparison to judge from. I guess I do now. Thanks to all who took the time to look.
I guess I'd have to see the coin in hand. Your second photo gives the illusion that it is a brown cent. Any plated cents that I have ever seen, never end up having a cameo or deep cameo appearance.
In the sciences , silver was often used in a "sputtering" apparatus ( electrical arc) to put a ultrathin mirror finish on reflecting telescope mirrors or new glass blanks. In my college Electron Microscope class we practiced with silver , sputtering it on microorganisms preps before firing up the EM. Then later for the real thing we used gold and other heavier metals. That was in the early 60's when silver was pocket money. Jim
