Got it in change the other day I guess from the grocery store....didn't notice at the time...was going through coins tonight (cuz I have no life :goofer and came across this. Its not sprayed or painted or anything like that. I don't have a scale to weigh it but its the same size and thickness as a normal penny. I put a pic of a normal lincoln so you can compare. Did the copper plating not get put on it? Weird....dd: Thanks all! :bow:
Hard to tell if it's a mint error or post mint damage from the pic. If it's post mint damage, it's pretty darn nice. Most of them that I have seen that have been altered outside of the mint look pretty "grainy"
It use to be sort of a joke many years ago until it was discovered it was very hazardous. Pennies could easily be changed to a silver color by coating them with mercury. My dad told me once a long time ago people would unknowingly put a few drops of liquid mercury in your pocket and then when you pulled your change out of your pocket, it was ALL silver colored. It's a HazMat nightmare now. I'm not saying this is the case here but apparently it was wide spread in the mid 1960's. Greg
Mercury coated coins are pretty easy to spot. Aside from the look they have, they feel "slimy" If I had to guess just from the image, the coin in the OP looks like a legitimate missing copper plating error cent.
Cents struck on unplated planchets are difficult to authenticate when you've got them in your hands, let alone from a photo. Here are things to look for in an authentic specimen: 1. Original mint luster 2. Slight streakiness to surface (not always present) 3. Slightly underweight (2.42 - 2.48 grams) 4. Absence of bumps, roughness, or matte texture
I did it... it is my fault...it is a cent that circulated out of NC when i was a bored firebug experimenting lol
