Strange penny - test planchet?

shadargroup

First post - been watching (and learning!) for a few months. Great forum!

While going thru a bag of pennies with my son we found this penny. It is black on the 'head' side (with a few scratched, I am sorry to report) but the clear but very light image of the Lincoln Memorial on the backside. There is a very crisp rim; I think you can even see it in the picture. My local coin shop (very helpful, as always) wasn't sure if it was real or 'manufactured'. Thoughts?

Thank you, as always! ;-)

Matt

Rodius

Welcom to the boards.

Glad you shared the photo's. looks like corroded zinc cent. I see lots of this kind of corrosion in my cent rolls. Strange though you cannot see the portrait on the obverse.

mmmmmmmmm

coppercoins

Looks to me like the corrosion may have something to do with the lack of design. No question in my mind that the lack of design is from the mint, I just don't know how it happened. Most likely cause is obstructed dies.

mrpaseo

Hmmmm, interesting, could it be one of the pressure test strikes (Not sure what they are called) I seem to remember reading something about errors when they are setting the pressure, a bunch of coins are wasted (Recycled) while they are trying to set the pressure and either squashing the cents (Not Pennies) or not hitting them hard enough...

Then again it could be an extensive struck through grease.

Anyone else want to chime in?

BTW. Welcome to the forum (At least posting, stick around these are some smart collectors here)


Ray

shadargroup

Thank you all for your posts.. the 'strange' thing is how crisp the rim is.. almost like a new penny. I used my loop on the front side and I don't see even a sample of the image... very strange.

cladking

Welcome aboard.

seanq

I believe your coin was struck by grease-filled dies. The rim is too well formed for this to be a low pressure of "die adjustment" strike as one poster speculated. The dark coloration may be opbscuring some faint details toward the rim, but I do not think your coin is at all corroded.

In general filled dies don't bring much of a premium, though yours is a pretty extreme example in that both dies are filled. Typically one die will be filled and the other side of the coin struck by this die will exhibit a normal or even stronger strike.


Sean Reynolds

Smittys

I was thinking test strike however as you guys say the rim is to high for test strike must be a major struck thru grease

shadargroup

I looked for struck through grease error pics online... If that is what this is I don't see like what I found; at least to the 'degree' this has. I am not disputing the suggestion; just a lot more 'loss' on this one than any of the ones that I see. Every coin in unique I suppose.... lol.

I am interested to find out more if someone would like to see it. I don't really want to sell it, but if someone would like to look at it I would consider it and will pay shipping (both ways)... Very interesting conversation piece. I would like to be sure I have some idea what I am talking about when I say it is 'such and such' coin....

My son and I have found lots of cool stuff in the bags we get at the bank. The more I do coin collecting to more I am getting into it.

Thank you again everyone! Your time and attention is greatly appreciated!

Matt