Is there a secret to figuring out unplated lincolns cents vs pmd?

COINS MAKE CENTS

Is there a trick to determining this? I had a bag of steels in the office, and while going through them I found these 2 zinc lincolns. Don't appear to be messed with as far as chemicals to remove the plating. Is there a way to check for this? Or something I should be looking for specifically?

Thanks for any info on this. I'm always willing to learn anything especially about error coins.

These are the 2 I found in the bag....

PerryHall

We know that weight will easily differentiate between a copper cent and a copper plated zinc cent but can weight be used to differentiate a copper plated zinc cent and an unplated zinc cent? I imagine the weight of the copper plating is insignificant and is well within the normal manufacturing weight tolerances. Also, I've always wondered if it's possible to take a copper plated zinc cent and then zinc plate the copper plating to make it look like an unplated copper cent error. Once again, the weight of any plating is insignifcant and well within the normal manufacturing weight tolerances.

gumby1234

@PerryHall there are zinc plated fakes out there.
@COINS MAKE CENTS they don't look plated. The copper could have been chemically removed. There is a chance they are genuine, but by the looks of the surfaces I would say they are not.

gumby1234

Here is a genuine example

FredWeinberg

The OP‘s coins have been de-plated

If the surfaces are dark, dull, and gray, they’ve been Deplated

If the surfaces are bright and shiny they’ve been re-plated

Those struck on unplated zinc planchet should have some
Luster still showing. And some specimens, if they’ve circulated too long
they will lose their luster And be difficult if not impossible to authenticate

ricko

They appear to have had the copper plating removed... I have found a couple of cents that look like that in the dirt. Seems extended time in the ground can produce a similar appearance if conditions are right. Cheers, RickO