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Tolerance Variation question.

JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
edited January 23, 2018 5:20AM in U.S. Coin Forum

Is there an allowable amount of variation on the weight of a zinc lincoln cent ? If so... I'm having a hard time finding it. Does anyone know what the variation tolerance might be ?

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    CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 34,015 ✭✭✭✭✭

    0.13 gram

    Numismatist. 54 year member ANA. Former ANA Senior Authenticator. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and ANA Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Also won the PNG's Robert Friedberg Award for "The Enigmatic Lincoln Cents of 1922," Available now from Whitman or Amazon.
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    RogerBRogerB Posts: 8,852 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The tolerance of 0.13g is per piece on average from a large sample by bulk weight. Not sure what the piece count for the bulk sample is, though.

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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Is that +/-? Or total? Does that mean a 'light' cent vs. a 'heavy' cent could vary between them by a total of 0.26g? Cheers, RickO

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    BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,645 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ricko said:
    Is that +/-? Or total? Does that mean a 'light' cent vs. a 'heavy' cent could vary between them by a total of 0.26g? Cheers, RickO

    That's what it's supposed to mean.

    theknowitalltroll;
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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BAJJERFAN ...Thanks, that is what I assumed, and although I researched, could not find a source that said +/-.
    Cheers, RickO

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    FredWeinbergFredWeinberg Posts: 6,031 ✭✭✭✭✭

    That's the official tolerance number (.13) for copper cents.

    It's not much difference for copper-coated zinc cents - .10 g

    I've found copper-coated zinc cents are
    pretty consistent at their official weight, but I have seen
    exceptions. If your coin is .2 of a gram light or heavy, it's
    not significant, in my view.

    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.
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    BAJJERFANBAJJERFAN Posts: 31,645 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @ricko said:
    @BAJJERFAN ...Thanks, that is what I assumed, and although I researched, could not find a source that said +/-.
    Cheers, RickO

    I think it would be quite difficult to always have it overweight or underweight.

    theknowitalltroll;
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    rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @BAJJERFAN .... I agree... likely it would vary minutely between different runs of planchet material. Cheers, RickO

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    JimnightJimnight Posts: 10,846 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited January 23, 2018 9:15AM

    The reason for the question is that I found a 1983 Lincoln zinc cent that I get a weight of 2.70 grams...

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