Spotted a super rare modern error in a lot full of dreck

seanq

Last week I won a lot of 33 "error" coins on eBay, The auction ran seven days, and I was the lone bidder.

Of the 33 coins, 30 were warm garbage. There were a few laminations and lots of PMD, including a couple of cents engraved with JFK's head. I did pull out a genuine clip on a 1957 wheatie, and one other coin that will get its own thread. But the reason I bought the lot is below:

I could tell from the mediocre images that it was a genuine clip, and I was pretty sure from the reverse picture that there were lots of little bubbles on the planchet. That and the appearance of the Blakesley effect (prominent on both faces) convinced me the coin was struck on a zinc planchet. Within minutes of the lot arriving, I had my scale out and, well....

For a hot minute, I thought I had cherrypicked the last coin for my date set, but when I took out the album I remembered it was the small date Philly I was missing, not the large date. Still, this is an extremely rare coin and it's a nice upgrade over the one I already had in the set.

I have no idea how this gemstone got mixed in with all the gravel in the rest of the lot, but it has a new and very appreciative home with me.

Sean Reynolds

topstuf

Will it be available for trade?

Coinscratch

That is the correct weight right?

seanq

@CoinscratchFever said:
That is the correct weight right?

Yes, a copper planchet would weigh 3.0-3,1g, where the later copper plated zinc planchets weigh 2.5g. The weight is spot on for a coin with a small clip.

Sean Reynolds

Coinscratch

@seanq said:

@CoinscratchFever said:
That is the correct weight right?

Yes, a copper planchet would weigh 3.0-3,1g, where the later copper plated zinc planchets weigh 2.5g. The weight is spot on for a coin with a small clip.

Sean Reynolds

I know about the 82d small date copper but isn’t there another that is zinc when it’s supposed to be 3.1 or vice versa?

ShaunBC5

What’s the market on a coin like this?

ricko

Nice detective work prior to getting the coin....and a good catch. I laughed at your description of 'the rest of the lot'...being 'warm garbage'.... Cheers, RickO

seanq

@ShaunBC5 said:
What’s the market on a coin like this?

Honestly, I think I might be the market for these. I don't know many people who are even collecting them by date, never mind composition.

The few examples that I have seen up for bid have never been identified correctly when offered, it is only when a seller shares a weight or through detective work that I have been able to identify them.

I would be very curious (and probably disappointed) to see what a correctly attributed example would bring in an auction, but not curious enough to part with any of mine.

Sean Reynolds

ShaunBC5

@seanq if you are the market for coins like this, then a HUGE congratulations for finding one in a lot like this. You must not see the stuff you like very much and it’s great you were able to snag one out of a pile of warm garbage. Great job! It’s a neat coin.