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1937 Lincoln Cent has Magnetic Personality hmmmmmmmmm
michael
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1937 Lincoln Cent has Magnetic Personality
A couple from Thornton, CO recently made an unusual discovery. While searching for 1943 Steel Cents, they found a 1937 steel cent instead? After being told that a magnet was the easiest way to search for steel cents, they put it to the test. Waiving an ordinary kitchen magnet over the heap of Lincolns knowing a steel cent would be attracted to the magnet and “jump” out of the pile, while the cooper cents laid still. It didn’t take long before the plan worked. But it was not the results they were expecting.
The coin attracted to the magnet was not a 1943 Steel Cent, but an otherwise normal 1937 Copper Lincoln Cent. How could this be? The 1937 is supposed to be comprised of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, none of which is attracted to a magnet.
Knowing they had something different and maybe special, they spoke with a friend who collects coins. He knew it would have to be authenticated to be sure the coin is genuine and recommended they submit the coin to Independent Coin Grading (ICG) in Englewood, CO.
At ICG, Senior Numismatists J.P. Martin and Michael Fahey collaborated on authenticating the coin. The coin was weighed and measured. ICG uses sensitive balances (scales) to determine weight. It fell into the normal parameters for the denomination and date. There was no sign of damage or evidence that the coin had been tampered with in any way. They hypothesized it contained a fragment of iron large enough to cause a reaction from a magnetic force.
The next step was to compare the magnetic cent, to other copper cents (not magnetic) from the same time period and a 1943 steel “penny” by running them through further tests. First, a specific gravity test was used to determine mass. Next, the coins were measured for conductivity. And each was tested for its reaction to the same magnet. While the conductivity was similar, the mass was off and the reaction to the magnet was significantly different.
The 1937 was also run through a Phillips, Epsilon 5, PANalytical, X-Ray Fluorescence Instrument. The high-tech X-Ray machine is able to determine the elements of which an object is comprised. As expected the coin contained iron. Knowing it contained iron and using the data from the previous test compared to a sliver of 100% iron it is estimated the coin contains 2% iron contamination, only one part in 50, but enough to lift it onto a magnet.
The tests also indicated that other Lincoln cents tested from that time period contain some iron contamination and could be attracted to a magnet with enough strength. But this particular coin was the only one that reacted to the magnetic force of a common house hold magnet.
That also leads ICG to believe that there are more Magnetic Lincoln Cents. So check your collections and pocket change, you to may have a coin with magnetic personality.
A couple from Thornton, CO recently made an unusual discovery. While searching for 1943 Steel Cents, they found a 1937 steel cent instead? After being told that a magnet was the easiest way to search for steel cents, they put it to the test. Waiving an ordinary kitchen magnet over the heap of Lincolns knowing a steel cent would be attracted to the magnet and “jump” out of the pile, while the cooper cents laid still. It didn’t take long before the plan worked. But it was not the results they were expecting.
The coin attracted to the magnet was not a 1943 Steel Cent, but an otherwise normal 1937 Copper Lincoln Cent. How could this be? The 1937 is supposed to be comprised of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, none of which is attracted to a magnet.
Knowing they had something different and maybe special, they spoke with a friend who collects coins. He knew it would have to be authenticated to be sure the coin is genuine and recommended they submit the coin to Independent Coin Grading (ICG) in Englewood, CO.
At ICG, Senior Numismatists J.P. Martin and Michael Fahey collaborated on authenticating the coin. The coin was weighed and measured. ICG uses sensitive balances (scales) to determine weight. It fell into the normal parameters for the denomination and date. There was no sign of damage or evidence that the coin had been tampered with in any way. They hypothesized it contained a fragment of iron large enough to cause a reaction from a magnetic force.
The next step was to compare the magnetic cent, to other copper cents (not magnetic) from the same time period and a 1943 steel “penny” by running them through further tests. First, a specific gravity test was used to determine mass. Next, the coins were measured for conductivity. And each was tested for its reaction to the same magnet. While the conductivity was similar, the mass was off and the reaction to the magnet was significantly different.
The 1937 was also run through a Phillips, Epsilon 5, PANalytical, X-Ray Fluorescence Instrument. The high-tech X-Ray machine is able to determine the elements of which an object is comprised. As expected the coin contained iron. Knowing it contained iron and using the data from the previous test compared to a sliver of 100% iron it is estimated the coin contains 2% iron contamination, only one part in 50, but enough to lift it onto a magnet.
The tests also indicated that other Lincoln cents tested from that time period contain some iron contamination and could be attracted to a magnet with enough strength. But this particular coin was the only one that reacted to the magnetic force of a common house hold magnet.
That also leads ICG to believe that there are more Magnetic Lincoln Cents. So check your collections and pocket change, you to may have a coin with magnetic personality.
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Comments
Safe Cracker
My Indian Name is: Runs With Beer
An authorized PCGS dealer, and a contributor to the Red Book.
How could it possibly have been made?
I can imagine a steel planchet hanging around from 1943 showing up in the bins for any subsequent year. Even a steel Memorial cent wouldn't surprise me that much. But how could the planchet go back in time?
Was the mint making coins for other countries in 1937 that would exhibit this magnetic personality? Or were they experimenting with off-metals back then? The coin is what it is, but it would be much more interesting if we knew the story behind the coin.
JJ