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Fake 1974-D off-metal cent

jmcu12jmcu12 Posts: 2,452 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Hello all,

I got this at my local shop yesterday and I have been looking it over today. It is a fake off-metal cent - but I am not sure what it is made of.

I have performed a scratch test on the edge and it reveals a 'silver' color. The weight is slightly higher than a regular 74D cent (though I cannot remember the number right now). So ideas on what it is made of?

image

image


And I know that the pictures suck, I am at work and these are the best that my camera phone can muster - image
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Comments

  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    Why would someone fake a cent? Is there a possibility that it could be a trial strike by the mint? I know they made some steel-copper trial pieces in 74, as well as the famous Aluminum ones...



    -Paul
    NGC 2.1 Census! PM me yours!
  • coinkid855coinkid855 Posts: 5,012 ✭✭✭
    Just found this!



    -Paul
    NGC 2.1 Census! PM me yours!
  • Wolf359Wolf359 Posts: 7,657 ✭✭✭
    1974-D Aluminum Cents are alledged to exist.

    And you scratched it? image

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  • jmcu12jmcu12 Posts: 2,452 ✭✭✭
    it is too heavy to be the aluminium cent and it is non-magnetic so it cannot be made of steel.

    But like that article the 'cent' looks like any other cent, just 'silver' in color. So I really think its not an authentic error - I just thought it looked neat so that is why I picked it up.
    Awarded latest "YOU SUCK!": June 11, 2014
  • seanqseanq Posts: 8,704 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If it is slightly heavier than a normal cent then it is probably plated. I know you did a scratch test on the edge, is it possible you didn't scratch deep enough to penetrate the plating? * not advocating that you damage the coin any further *


    Sean Reynolds
    Incomplete planchets wanted, especially Lincoln Cents & type coins.

    "Keep in mind that most of what passes as numismatic information is no more than tested opinion at best, and marketing blather at worst. However, I try to choose my words carefully, since I know that you guys are always watching." - Joe O'Connor
  • Type2Type2 Posts: 13,985 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If it looks all most close. I'll pay the fee just to know if I was wrong or not. But that is just me,Type2.
    cool looking from what I can see.


    Hoard the keys.
  • atarianatarian Posts: 3,116 ✭
    reminds me of this 1965 Fake quarter i got at a coin shop. Why one would fake a 65 quarter when its a non silver coin to start with I dont know. weighs in at 4.09 g instead of over like the normal coin does but still

    image


    image


    image
    Founder of the NDCCA. *WAM Count : 025. *NDCCA Database Count : 2,610. *You suck 6/24/10. <3 In memory of Tiggar 5/21/1994 - 5/28/2010 <3
    image
  • FrankcoinsFrankcoins Posts: 4,569 ✭✭✭


    << <i>reminds me of this 1965 Fake quarter i got at a coin shop. Why one would fake a 65 quarter when its a non silver coin to start with I dont know. weighs in at 4.09 g instead of over like the normal coin does but still

    >>



    Coins are known struck on electrical box punchouts.

    image
    Frank Provasek - PCGS Authorized Dealer, Life Member ANA, Member TNA. www.frankcoins.com
  • FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 5,877 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Plated
    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 50+ Year PNG Member.A full-time numismatist since 1972, retired in 2022.
  • homerunhallhomerunhall Posts: 2,496 ✭✭✭
    In case you don't know...Fred Weinberg is the main man when it comes to Mint errors. Whenever we have a question about a Mint error at PCGS, we send the coin to Fred for his opinion...which we basically take as the final word.

    Thanks for responding to thread Fred. And thanks for helping us at PCGS for 25 years!

    hrh

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,416 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Looks galvanized.

    My mentor at Coin World's Collectors Clearinghouse, Ed Fleischmann, told me about talking with a guy who worked for a metal plating company. They did chrome and zinc and other stuff.

    The guy told Ed that whenever he prepared a new batch of plating material, he would just take a few coins out of his pocket and plate them to test the batch. Later he would just spend the coins.

    TD
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • CoinCrazyPACoinCrazyPA Posts: 2,899 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Just found this!



    -Paul >>



    D. Carr can attest to them leaving, being lost in the machines. He found quite a few in his Denver press he bought a few years ago.
    Positive BST transactions: agentjim007, cohodk, CharlieC, Chrischampeon, DRG, 3 x delistamps, djdilliodon, gmherps13, jmski52, Meltdown, Mesquite, 2 x nibanny, themaster, 2 x segoja, Timbuk3, ve3rules, jom, Blackhawk, hchcoin, Relaxn, pitboss, blu62vette, Jfoot13, Jinx86, jfoot13,Ronb

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  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 28,694 ✭✭✭✭✭
    looks plated to me as well. ( some did it as well when i worked in the plateing area )
  • USMoneyloverUSMoneylover Posts: 1,672 ✭✭✭
    I can't say I've heard of a "scratch test"....am I the only one troubled by the thought of this process?
    Finest Coins and Relics
  • sonofagunksonofagunk Posts: 1,349 ✭✭
    I have a bunch of nice off center coins that are scratched on the back. No idea what that would tell you about the coin, but I more than a couple
    eBay Error Sales
  • Steve27Steve27 Posts: 13,275 ✭✭✭
    I would guess the coin is silver plated, and from the looks of it, a long time ago.

    P.S. 1974 aluminum cents do exist, and one is certified by PCGS.
    "It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
  • dcarrdcarr Posts: 8,700 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>reminds me of this 1965 Fake quarter i got at a coin shop. Why one would fake a 65 quarter when its a non silver coin to start with I dont know. weighs in at 4.09 g instead of over like the normal coin does but still

    image


    image


    image >>



    I think that coin is actually genuine - just corroded.
    Moonlight Mint
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,416 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Old thread alert. Some thoughts on how a coin can come to be zinc or chrome plated.

    @CaptHenway said:
    Looks galvanized.

    My mentor at Coin World's Collectors Clearinghouse, Ed Fleischmann, told me about talking with a guy who worked for a metal plating company. They did chrome and zinc and other stuff.

    The guy told Ed that whenever he prepared a new batch of plating material, he would just take a few coins out of his pocket and plate them to test the batch. Later he would just spend the coins.

    TD

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I worked for years in a company that did various types of metal plating... I can assure you that coins of various denominations were plated in different metals almost daily - or nightly, since the night shift had more opportunity without surveillance. Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,416 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ricko said:
    I worked for years in a company that did various types of metal plating... I can assure you that coins of various denominations were plated in different metals almost daily - or nightly, since the night shift had more opportunity without surveillance. Cheers, RickO

    And can we assume that these coins randomly plated with various metals, such as (for example) zinc, ended up back in circulation?

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @CaptHenway .... Most likely... This was years ago(late '70's, '80's)... and they were not coin collectors. Probably spent them at the local tavern. Cheers, RickO

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,416 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Bump for the comments on random zinc plating.

    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.

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