Strange looking surfaces on steel cents. Are these coated? Mercury?

DNADave

The top ones have unc details but also have a dull matte looking finish to them
The bottom ones seem to be more what I think is "right"

Opinions?

SLQ

copper plated

19Lyds

From what I recall as a kid, mercury coated coins looked almost mirror-like. They were also "slimey", almost "greasy" to the touch.

DNADave

<< <i>copper plated >>



Perhaps,

Here's another pic for comparison

derryb

have you put a magnet to them? Wouldn't that be nice!

GrumpyEd

Mercury coated ones are more glossy or wet.
Re-plated ones look more blueish.

Those look cleaned, even the lower 2.
Original ones have more luster.

I've seen a real funny look on some that were laquered, they have a golden color from old laquer.

Bigrig52

Hurry send it in for grading you hit the jackpot.

ProofArtworkonCircs

<<From what I recall as a kid, mercury coated coins looked almost mirror-like. They were also "slimey", almost "greasy" to the touch.>>
That sounds like a freshly coated coin. With time the mercury settles into the coin and you get a whitish dull finish. I once bought such a dull looking 1876 2 mark piece and put it in a tube of 2 mark pieces. That d--- mercury migrated and discolored the adjacent coins in the tube. So Beware!

Boom

Try a magnet test and look for bubbling to help come to some conclusion.

seatedcoins

<< <i>Try a magnet test and look for bubbling to help come to some conclusion. >>



Look for bubbling, lol. If it bubbles be sure to lick it for good luck. (Sarcastic, liquid mercury is toxic)

Frankcoins

There were numerous ways of reprocessing 1943 cents. Stripping them of rust with naval jelly, sometimes using a brass brush which sometimes transferred a golden color to the steel, replating or hot dipping them with zinc, chrome, tin, have even seen some that were spray painted silver. Some tolerance has to be given to the practice, because original coins will all eventually rust, since the zinc coating was applied only to the rolled steel..when the blanks were punched out, the edges are unprotected.