'Weird' 1847 Large Cent--comments welcome

So I have this 1847 Large Cent that looks like it went through a voodoo head shrinking machine. As the pics show, it's smaller than a standard Large Cent and quite a bit thinner. I think it's just a case of corrosion but I'm willing to entertain other theories, especially if those theories involve a mint error! (fingers crossed). Thanks for any and all opinions.

 

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What's the reverse look like?
I would normally say acid bath but idk if there would b that much visible design left given its all copper.

 

Yep, would like to see the reverse.

 

Sorry here you go

 

This is purely just a guess but I think it might be some sort of token and not an actual cent. Again it's just a guess.

 

Fake possibly?
I have no idea how that would happen. Maybe somebody else knows. That's too much detail left on the reverse to be an acid dip.

 

could be so worn that from circulation wear or being in the ground that it caused it to be paaper thin

 

It would be cull then.

 

Um ran over by a car? lol.

 

The head does really look shrunken ? The date does not look too.... shrunken

Here is a 1846 I picked up just a couple of weeks ago.

for comparison ?

 

Counterfeit?

 

It's what coins look like after they have been in beach sand for some time. The churning and erosion will wear it thin like that. Probably a detector find IMO.

 

Huh. I assumed after a certain point the coin would just become smooth, instead of retaining the design. But again, I've never seen a coin that spent a long time burried in beach sand or otherwise strangely corroded.

 

Looks to be an electrotype counterfeit.

 

I don't think it was professionally minted. Too thin ...look at the stars, the spacing is wrong between the two coins.

 

Counterfeit

 

And an extremely poor quality one at that.

 

That is quite odd.

 

Acid soaked for a long lime in a weak acid and it was reverse side down. That is why the reverse is better than the obverse. And yes the detail would still be visible even after it got down to being that thin. It is not a counterfeit or electrotype.

Possibly a pickle barrel cent. Back then when they pickled cucumbers they would throw a large cent in the barrel. The copper acetate formed as the vinegar dissolved the cent would give the pickles a nice green color.

 

Interesting. I had a hunch pickles were involved in this case.