Home U.S. Coin Forum

One Cent 1977 on White Metal Planchet?

Hi, I have one cent 1977 on white metal planchet? The weight is 2.39 gr. and looks a little smaller than normal cent of 1977? What do you think? The coin is very little attracted from the strong magnet, not like the metal cent of 1943.! Thank you.
, , , , ,

Tagged:

Comments

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 14, 2022 3:24AM

    If that cent is even real, it is severely damaged... There are no 'white metal' cents. The reverse looks as if it is a cast copy. No numismatic premium. Cheers, RickO

  • 291fifth291fifth Posts: 24,348 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Why do you post stuff like this? It is an obviously badly damaged coin.

    All glory is fleeting.
  • Yeah, I am casting them in my basement and check with you the quality ;)

  • Very funny forum...

  • OldhoopsterOldhoopster Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 14, 2022 8:04AM

    Heat damage or some other environmental damage.

    If you're going to search for errors, I would strongly recommend spending some time learning about the minting process. With some basic understanding, it is readily apparent that your coin could not have left the mint in that condition.

    Member of the ANA since 1982
  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,768 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Probably not even a real cent, gaming piece or board piece. Either that or it's been zapped by a zombie!

    bob :)

    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • This content has been removed.
  • Or maybe this one: "This unique 1977 Aluminum Cent was discovered and certified by NGC. It was struck on an aluminum planchet with a weight of 1.04 grams. There are several possibilities as to how this unique Lincoln Cent was produced. It could have been an intentionally made mint error. It could have been struck on a leftover aluminum blank from 1974-75 when the U.S. Mint in Philadelphia struck Aluminum Cents. Or it could be a unique and unrecorded pattern struck in aluminum. Regardless of the circumstances, this is a unique and enigmatic Lincoln Cent.
    There are no authorized U.S. coins that were struck in aluminum for circulation. In 1977, Lincoln Cents were composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc. Since 1982, they are composed of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.
    The 1974 Aluminum Cent is world famous. Proposed in 1973 and struck in 1974, it was never released into circulation. The U.S. Mint distributed several to members of Congress, but they were recalled by the U.S. Mint Director, Mary Brooks, and destroyed. One example struck by the Philadelphia Mint was donated to the Smithsonian Institution. Another was certified in 2005 by PCGS as MS 62. In 1975, the Philadelphia Mint struck at least 66 aluminum cents dated 1975.
    According to the Chief of the Mint's internal audit staff, Willian Humbert, between October 17, 1973 and March 29, 1974 there were 1,441,039 aluminum cents dated 1974 struck at the Philadelphia Mint. Another 130,128 were struck between April 12, 1974 and May 30, 1974. Fred Weinberg, PCGS authenticator for Mint Errors, estimates that the number ranges from (5) to as many as (14) 1974-P aluminum cents that are not accounted for. The U.S. Government closed it's investigation of any missing 1974 aluminum cents in February 1976.
    In 2014, a 1974 Denver Mint aluminum cent surfaced from Randall Lawrence, who stated that his father had worked at the U.S. Mint in Denver and had received it as a retirement gift. It was certified MS 63 by PCGS and was subsequently surrendered to the U.S. Government since it was not authorized for release.
    Other than the officially struck 1974 and 1975 Aluminum Cents, this 1977 Aluminum Cent is the only other one known. There are two other aluminum Lincoln Cents known but they are struck on foreign planchets. The first is a 1971 San Francisco Mint aluminum cent that was struck on a planchet intended for Nepal or the Philippines and was certified by NGC as AU 58. It sold in the March 2005 Heritage Signature Sale #368 for $8,050 (lot #7604). On February 5, 2016 the new owner rejected an offer of $10,000 on the Heritage auction website. The second is a spectacular and unique 1974 San Francisco Mint aluminum cent that was only struck by the obverse die (uniface). The planchet was intended for a Philippine 1 Sentimo, which were struck by the San Francisco Mint in 1974. It was authenticated and certified by PCGS as MS 61. It is currently being offered for $40,000.
    As spectacular as the 1971-S and 1974-S aluminum cents are, they do not begin to compare to this unique 1977 aluminum cent struck at the Philadelphia Mint. NGC was unable to identify this Aluminum Lincoln Cent as being struck on a foreign planchet, since it was not a match to a specific weight or size. Mint Error News Magazine was also unable to match it to any planchet from their comprehensive report of coins struck by the U.S. Mint for foreign countries. Experts have concluded that it is either an intentional mint error, struck on a leftover aluminum planchet from 1974-75 or an unrecorded aluminum pattern.
    It is plausible that this unique 1977 Aluminum Cent was an intentionally struck mint error. One example of intentionally produced mint errors occurred at the San Francisco Mint during the 1970's. Mint employees intentionally created spectacular proof and mint state error coins. These errors were auctioned off by the State of California after they were discovered in a bank safe deposit box. The U.S. Secret Service inspected and released the collection, determining that it was legal to own. The State of California then auctioned off the collection and it has been dispersed since the sale.
    In the collection were incredible proof errors that were double denominations, mated pairs, dramatic and spectacular unique mint errors including the famous 1970-S Quarter struck on a Barber Quarter certified by NGC as PR 65. Also in this collection was the now world famous 1970-S Quarter struck on a 1941 Canadian Quarter which went viral worldwide on the internet, TV, print and in magazines. In addition, there were several unique and exotic mint state errors in the collection that were unknown types of errors including a unique mint state Roosevelt Dime struck with two reverse dies, which was subsequently certified by PCGS. Striking a 1977 Aluminum Cent at the Philadelphia Mint was not out of the realm of possibilities given the fact that unique mint errors were being intentionally struck in the San Francisco Mint and had assistance leaving the Mint as well.
    Aluminum Cents were first struck at the Philadelphia Mint in 1974 and listed as Judd #2151. They were also struck in 1975 and are listed as Judd #2155. These were trial pieces struck from regular dies and referred to as patterns. It is conceivable that an aluminum planchet, leftover from 1974 or 1975, was inadvertently or intentionally retrieved to strike this 1977 Lincoln Cent. There are many documented examples of United States coins which have been authenticated and certified by PCGS and NGC that were struck on planchets from previous years. One example of a Lincoln Cent on a leftover planchet from years before is a 1989-D Lincoln Cent struck on a 3.1 gram full copper planchet intended for production prior to 1983 that was authenticated and certified by PCGS as MS 64 Brown.
    Regardless of the circumstances surrounding the intentional or non-intentional striking of this unique 1977 aluminum cent, it carries the mystique and excitement that surrounds the world famous 1974 aluminum cents. Certified by NGC as MS 60, this 1977 Aluminum Lincoln Cent belongs in a world class collection of Lincoln Cents or in a collection of unique rarities, discovery coins, patterns and mint errors.":)

  • Yeah, I certainly will throw this coin through my window on the 11th floor:)

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,481 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 22, 2022 10:30PM

    It appears to be an amateur casting using a mold or wax that was transferred from a genuine 1977-D cent.

  • lcutlerlcutler Posts: 553 ✭✭✭✭

    Yes, those are well known errors that you posted, unfortunately your coin is nothing like them. Notice how they are crisply and clearly struck, with all details as they should be? Look at yours, mushy appearance, evidence of being cast rather than struck, not the same thing at all.

  • JBKJBK Posts: 15,603 ✭✭✭✭✭

    If you think your "coin" is an off-metal error, stop wasting your arguing your case here. Send it in to PCGS to be authenticated.

  • jmlanzafjmlanzaf Posts: 34,328 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 23, 2022 3:19AM

    Looks acid etched. The edge looks like it was mounted. It's interesting, but not a mint error.

  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,827 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Nothing you see as “different “on that coin occurred when it was meant it – it all occurred well after the coin was in circulation – it’s all damage

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors
    for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,827 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That should’ve said. “minted”

    Retired Collector & Dealer in Major Mint Error Coins & Currency since the 1960's.Co-Author of Whitman's "100 Greatest U.S. Mint Error Coins", and the Error Coin Encyclopedia, Vols., III & IV. Retired Authenticator for Major Mint Errors
    for PCGS. A 49+-Year PNG Member...A full numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022
  • TwoSides2aCoinTwoSides2aCoin Posts: 44,307 ✭✭✭✭✭

    11 story fall won't hurt it.

  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,481 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited April 23, 2022 4:21PM

    @FredWeinberg said:
    Nothing you see as “different “on that coin occurred when it was meant it – it all occurred well after the coin was in circulation – it’s all damage

    I don't think it is damaged - it was made exactly like that originally (a "home made" casting by someone outside the US Mint).

  • MsMorrisineMsMorrisine Posts: 33,104 ✭✭✭✭✭

    we are aware of aluminum blanks.

    note that you say the weight is "2.39 gr"

    look at the weight on the label for the ebay one: 1.04gr

    that is actually a little heavier than the "perfectly made" usa aluminum cent that would weigh just under a gram.

    the struck on a philippine planchet is also aluminum. that would also weigh in the about a gram area.

    look at the "should be flat" fields of yours. "Flat" does not describe any part of the front or back. The dies are flat. There is a reason yours are not flat -- I'll go with dcarr and say a highly poor cast.

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • Many thanks for your answers. Anyway I will keep it in my collection. I still think that maybe it is one of the so called "experimental planchets" of 1974 - 1977.

Leave a Comment

BoldItalicStrikethroughOrdered listUnordered list
Emoji
Image
Align leftAlign centerAlign rightToggle HTML viewToggle full pageToggle lights
Drop image/file