1986 Wheat Penny...?

TideSweeper

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Feb 5, 2013
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Came across this in a box of other coins I had forgot about. Did some searching, not much info I could find.

Possibilities-
The 8 should be a 3
Its a fake
Some kind of memorial coin.

Under a magnifying glass-
The date is a solid, clearly minted 1986. No other identifying marks front or back.

penny_B.jpg penny_F.jpg

Ideas? Links appreciated. Thanks for looking.
 

Thorne

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Look for cuts might be someone cut out the memorial and replaced it with a wheat back. Never seen anything. Like that cool find
 

cudamark

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Run over it with a good detector. Does it read zinc or copper?
 

Bad Wolf

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I'm hoping the 8 should be a 3 and you have a one-of-a-kind and can retire in comfort to spend the rest of your days happily CRHing...
 

coinguy*matthew

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Why not just try and weigh it on an accurate digital scale? If indeed it is two coins from two entirely different metal compositions the weight should be the first indicator that it is fake. If it were real it should weigh 3.11 grams if it were copper and have a diameter of 19mm thats where i would start if it were my coin. If the weight and diameter are correct then that would rule out magicians coin or other sandwich of two coins, but i will say this coin has a high probability of being fake, I just don't see how this kind of error could happen at the mint. The obv and rev are several design and composition changes apart along with the fact that after the wheat cent reverse was no longer used the die was probably canceled out, in which they mark the die with a big X or deface it in a similar manner. At best this could be a very high quality fake which in its own right is very important as it clues us in on how advanced counterfeiters are becoming.......
 

dustywallen

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Why not just try and weigh it on an accurate digital scale? If indeed it is two coins from two entirely different metal compositions the weight should be the first indicator that it is fake. If it were real it should weigh 3.11 grams if it were copper and have a diameter of 19mm thats where i would start if it were my coin. If the weight and diameter are correct then that would rule out magicians coin or other sandwich of two coins, but i will say this coin has a high probability of being fake, I just don't see how this kind of error could happen at the mint. The obv and rev are several design and composition changes apart along with the fact that after the wheat cent reverse was no longer used the die was probably canceled out, in which they mark the die with a big X or deface it in a similar manner. At best this could be a very high quality fake which in its own right is very important as it clues us in on how advanced counterfeiters are becoming.......

It is 2 different coins.
 

coinguy*matthew

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Mar 30, 2013
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It is 2 different coins.

High probability you are right but i was just suggesting the steps i would take if it were my coin. You could be 100% sure if you dropped it on the scale but who is to say what is real and what is not real from images alone?
 

OP
OP
TideSweeper

TideSweeper

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Feb 5, 2013
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Corpus Christi Texas
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Here is a link showing this is a single coin.

1986 WHEAT Penny ... what gives? - YouTube

Weighs in at 3 grams.

Under close scrutiny, I can feel a slight ridge on the wheat side around the rim.
My guess ... it's a 1986 shell over a wheat. Not gonna pry it apart to confirm however.
 

coinguy*matthew

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Mar 30, 2013
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Here is a link showing this is a single coin.

1986 WHEAT Penny ... what gives? - YouTube

Weighs in at 3 grams.

Under close scrutiny, I can feel a slight ridge on the wheat side around the rim.
My guess ... it's a 1986 shell over a wheat. Not gonna pry it apart to confirm however.

That is what the weight suggests, slightly underweight means a sandwich with a lighter zinc obv and the ridge around the rim seems to add further evidence.
 

dustywallen

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May 18, 2012
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Thanks to all for the input. Knew something was up...

Probably a magician coin of some sort. It looks thicker than normal also. Sure wish it was real. I am sorry for calling you out saying it was 2 different coins. In a way it is though. They are just smashed together. They can take cnc machines and take one side off and do the same on another and put them together.
 

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