While doing a routine search through Lincoln cents (something I often record on my YouTube channel), I came across a 1983 cent that immediately caught my attention.
The first thing that stood out was the weight: about 2.87 grams.
As most collectors know, normal 1983 cents are copper-plated zinc and should weigh about 2.5 grams. The coin also had a noticeable granular texture on the reverse, which made me suspect something unusual about the metal.
Naturally, I decided to submit the coin for grading.
First submission: Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC).
The coin came back labeled UNC Details – Obverse Scratched, with no mint error attribution. When I followed up with them, they explained that based on their standards the coin did not qualify as a mint error.
However, the weight and appearance still seemed unusual to me, so I decided to try a second opinion.
I submitted the coin to Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS).
After their review, PCGS certified the coin as:

Lincoln Cent – Defective Bronze Planchet (AU Details)
So essentially the two major grading services reached different conclusions about the same coin.
I’m not posting this to criticize either company — grading and error attribution can be complex, especially with unusual metal anomalies. But I thought this case was interesting and worth sharing with other collectors.
A couple questions for the community:
• Have you ever had a coin where NGC and PCGS reached different conclusions?
• If one grading service does not attribute an error, do you ever try resubmitting it elsewhere?
• And what do you think could explain the 2.87 g weight on a 1983 cent?
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts.