Reprocessed steel cents

bsshog40

So how does one determine if their 1943 steel cents are original or are reprocessed cents. I remember buying these back 6-8 yrs ago for my dansco. I remember also being told that they were BU coins, not reprocessed. Is there a way to tell the difference? Thanks, Bobby

coinnut

Yours look original. I have a reprocessed steel cent. It has a very glossy sheen to it.

bsshog40

One of the reasons I asked also is that the 1943s has a real weak 4. Just a grease fill maybe?

Oldhoopster

Besides the obvious glossy appearance of the reprocessed cents, sometimes you can tell by the edge. Steel cent blanks were made from sheets that were plated prior to punching. Over time, there may some color differences between the exposed steel on the edge and the zinc plating. Reprocessed cents have plating over the entire surface including the edge

coinbuf

I usually can tell by the luster, the replateing covers the flow lines.

bsshog40

So basically, a reprocessed cent is plated? I guess if plated the letters would be thicker than normal also right? Does anyone know if the Littleton sets were reprocessed? I bought these years ago also. At least I could compare the two sets if so.

lkeigwin

Often, though perhaps not always, the plated coin has a granular look under a good loupe.

Here is a plated example that looks flashy and wholesome in hand. But fails the close-up test. At bottom is a genuine MS68.
Lance.

mannie gray

@bsshog40 said:
So basically, a reprocessed cent is plated? I guess if plated the letters would be thicker than normal also right? Does anyone know if the Littleton sets were reprocessed? I bought these years ago also. At least I could compare the two sets if so.

Those are plated/processed.

ldhair

I'm pretty sure the coins in the Dansco were never processed. Nice choice for the album.
The cents in this set were processed.

Jimnight

Without my glasses I can't tell.

bsshog40

I think I'm gonna try to find that set of Littleton ones and get a closer look. Thanks for the info y'all!

goldrealmoney79

@lkeigwin said:
Often, though perhaps not always, the plated coin has a granular look under a good loupe.

Here is a plated example that looks flashy and wholesome in hand. But fails the close-up test. At bottom is a genuine MS68.
Lance.

thanks for the closeup, I learned something new today that I will be able to use.

bsshog40

Well I finally found my Littleton Lincoln set. It was actually still in the ziplock baggie it came in. On the wrapper it reads "Reprocessed Steel". But I can sure tell the difference between my Dansco 43's and the reprocessed 43's. The reprocessed one's look much more like polished coins compared to original cents. And as lkeigwin said, the fields are a little more grainy. Thanks for all the responses y'all!