Steel Cent Without a Bust - Is this an actual mint error???

This just came to me and I can’t get my head around it. How would In God We Trust show up without the bust? Major grease filled die? I can’t see it being a post mint alteration because the planchet looks like it is blank and hasn’t been ground down or anything like that. Any input would be appreciated.

 

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Interesting. Ferromagnetic?

 

Yes it is.

 

This is really strange, the rim doesn't look sharp all the way around on the obverse, which could be a sign of post-mintage alteration, but the surface looks MS and normal, except for those circular hairlines on the second obverse photo. Normally, the rims are bevelled up before the planchet is struck, so if this was a heavy greaser, the rims wouldn't have been affected, and that goes for anything struck-through, except something solid that could have damaged the rims as it was struck. This leads me to think that it could be a capped die strike that somehow missed the lettering at the top, but still destroyed the main details and smushed the rim.

Here's a capped die example, and you can see that the rim is smushed and not sharp. Unfortunately though, you can also see that the reverse text is visible, which yours doesn't have.



After this ramble of thoughts, I'm as confused as you... let's see what the other say. If it's still unclear after, this might even be something worth sending to grade, just in case it's a big find

 

With all those swirl marks the first thing that popped into my thoughts was it’s been ground down and is damaged. They even got into the letters in the IGWT motto a little bit. Just my opinion.

 

There’s something going on at 9:00 with the metal…a small depression or something. More visible in the second photo. I agree that the swirl marks look suspicious, but I’ve seen similar on blank planchets in the past. Might just be how it “circulated”.

 

The swirl marks in your second obverse pic are a strong indication of abrasive removal. Also note how part of IN GOD is removed and the inner parts of the rims are damaged, especially around 9:00. I believe somebody got creative with a dremel tool finishing it with fine grained paper.

 

I'm in the altered coin group. The swirls/witness marks suggest removal of material.

 

Exactly! And you put it better than I did.

 

Meow thinks so too.