1942 White Metal Experimental Penny

Margue · February 8, 2012 3:54AM

Hello to all - I am new to this forum and a novice coin collector. Yesterday I acquired a roll of wheats that was purchased from an estate sale. Inside I found an odd coin that appeared at first glance to be a fake. And it very well may be... But it got my attention. So I started to research it online and stumbled across a thread from this forum from 2008 that seemed to be about a very similar coin. Photos provided from that owner capture this coin perfectly. The main difference seems to be that my coin is of a similar thickness to the normal penny. Since I am a novice's novice - I do not even have the ability to take a clear photo of this coin and will need to take it to someone who has a much better camera. In addition, I am aware that I will need to get it's weight, which I will do this afternoon. The following link provides info to the coin referenced in the 2008 forum and which appears to be very similar to mine http://www.coinlink.com/CoinGuide/patterns/1942-1c-lincoln-cent-struck-in-white-metal-judd-2081-pollock-2077/ . I would appreciate advise on how to proceed and what I should do, where I should go to verify authenticity,etc. There are no coin dealers in my small community that would know much about this. Assuming it's not real but without verification, who knows????
Thanks so much for your help!

BaronVonBaugh · February 8, 2012 3:58AM

link

PCGS forum

PCGS forum 2

PCGS forum 3

There is actually a fair amount of information on the 1942 patterns right here in the forum.

Of course there is always uspatterns.com

Wolf359 · February 8, 2012 4:03AM

Not much to tell you w/o good photos. It's probably some plated penny and you'll be wasting your time and money sending it anywhere.

Margue · February 8, 2012 4:13AM

Yes, I'll work on getting good photos to upload and yes, you're probably right about wasting time but what if it is real and I never looked into it.... that would be an even bigger waste! Has anyone ever seen a counterfeit 1942 experimental penny? I'm sure they're out there but I haven't been able to find anything online that documents it. Thanks again and thank you for the link.

jesbroken · February 8, 2012 4:19AM

Why not just send it in to be examined by our hosts. Small fee for such a return if real.
Jus' sayin'.
jim

Margue · February 8, 2012 4:32AM

So how do I do that? Where do I send it? I don't think it's a common plated penny because it's much lighter than a regular penny. I'm taking it to get weighed this afternoon cuz don't have a scale suitable at home.

savoyspecial · February 8, 2012 4:38AM

Good chance its mercury plated

Margue · February 8, 2012 5:09AM

Thank you for all the links - this is all information I found which lead me to this forum. You guys seem to have the know!

lkeigwin · February 8, 2012 5:39AM

Does it stick to a magnet? Are the edges the same color as the rest of the coin?

Send it to me and I'll shoot it for you, weigh it, size it. I can submit it to PCGS too, if you like. No charge for anything except the PCGS grading, if you opt for that.

Turn on your PM function and send me a private message, if interested. I can give you details.
Lance.

cladking · February 8, 2012 6:17AM

Welcome aboard.

Best of luck in identifying the coin and in its having significant value. More rare coins is always a good thing.

Margue · February 8, 2012 7:07AM

Before you go to all that trouble, let me answer your 2 questions and maybe that will in itself help determine if this is simply an everyday, common plated coin. Does it stick to a magnet? The answer is no. Are the edges the same color as the rest of the coin? The answer is also no. I would guess that if someone plated it, the edges would also be plated. But I'm not sure of anything.... I'm off to get it weighed. I think that will help answer alot of questions. Thanks again!!!!

Aegis3 · February 8, 2012 8:35AM

This is certainly intriguing.

I think the initial questions we would want are:

1) What is the weight, to the nearest 0.01 grams?

2) Let us see photos, including one of the edge

3) Is the diameter the same as a normal 1942 cent?

And we got the magnet answer.

Margue · February 8, 2012 12:21PM

The penny appears to be very similar in size as other pennies altho it may be the slightest bit out of proportion or 'different' as I see it with a magnifying glass. It would take someone with much more skill than me to determine if there is a true difference. To better describe this coin, it seems as though both the obverse and reverse have a coating or clad or what have you that covers everything but the edge. Because of this, you can see where this clad ends at the edge, all around the coin, with some parts receeding into the rim more than other parts. The 'clad' is a shiny mirror-like finish whereas the edge appears to have the typical copper color of a typical penny. Hopefully you will be able to see this in the pictures I have attached altho they are of poor quality. I apologize for that.... I expect little out of this and I thank you for taking your time to look into this. It is intriguing, regardless of it's authenticity. Seems like alot of work for someone to go to but if someone did, how did they plate it without covering the edge? Hmmm..... There are a few dings on the reverse edge/rim as you will see and there are also signs of field wear so it is not a perfect coin or one that was recently toyed with. It's weight came in at 3.1 grams. If there is further interest out there and if anyone thinks this is worth investigating, I will get better pics and whatever is needed to satisfy the need to know. Thanks again so very much!

Margue · February 8, 2012 12:22PM

Margue · February 8, 2012 12:29PM

Margue · February 8, 2012 12:34PM

CaptHenway · February 8, 2012 12:40PM

Chrome plated while in a bezel. Some company used to sell these for charm bracelets where a mother could have a coin from each child's birth year.

ebaybuyer · February 8, 2012 12:43PM

weigh it on a digiscale in grains against a known genuine 1942 cent in the same grade, if it is copper it will weigh the same, white metal will probably weigh much less (or more)

Wolf359 · February 8, 2012 3:49PM

The Captain knows his stuff, he's a pro.

Sorry buddy

FredWeinberg · February 9, 2012 12:40AM

I have to agree with our own
esteemed "Captain" who Crunches.

It's plated - sorry.....

Margue · February 9, 2012 9:38AM

I will go with that too then. Thanks again.

coindeuce · February 9, 2012 1:43PM

A 1942 dated Lincoln cent of white metal composition would weigh significantly less than the 3.1 grams that you have reported. 3.11 +/- 0.130 grams is the Mint standard for the 95% copper composition of the Lincoln cent in 1942.

ricko · February 10, 2012 12:17AM

Always worth investigating these anomalies. True, most of the time they are not rare finds, but once in a while a treasure shows up. Welcome aboard, Cheers, RickO

Margue · February 11, 2012 8:45AM

Thanks for the welcome! I think I have this one figured out. It's a white metal partial collar railroad rimmed non-magnetic 1942 plated penny. HA - an odd duck at that! For future knowledge, how much more would a plated penny weigh over the 3.11?

CaptHenway · February 11, 2012 9:13AM

<< <i>Thanks for the welcome! I think I have this one figured out. It's a white metal partial collar railroad rimmed non-magnetic 1942 plated penny. HA - an odd duck at that! For future knowledge, how much more would a plated penny weigh over the 3.11? >>

Very little.

coindeuce · February 11, 2012 9:30AM

<< <i>Thanks for the welcome! I think I have this one figured out. It's a white metal partial collar railroad rimmed non-magnetic 1942 plated penny. HA - an odd duck at that! For future knowledge, how much more would a plated penny weigh over the 3.11? >>

The measurable difference in weight of a plated standard copper composition Lincoln cent would be so minute, that it could only be detected by precision analytical measuring instruments which would be found in a highly controlled scientific laboratory setting, assuming that the plating was of a metal with a relatively small specific gravity and the plating was mere microns in thickness.

1942 White Metal Experimental Penny

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