Strange wheatie......Error?

[Muddyhandz]

Hey,
found this 1955 D wheat cent the other day that is super thin, a millimeter less in diameter, and weighs 1.3 grams on my scale.





I used another dug 1955 wheatie for comparison. See how thin it is?

The normal example weighs 3.2 on my scale and the Red book says they are 3.11 grams.
You can still see the "In God we trust" on the thin example. The reverse has all the detail it should.
Overall, it has some wear in comparison to the other coin.
So, what do you think?
Cheers,
Dave.

 

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[Charlie P. (NY)]

Looks like it was partially dissolved in acid.

 

[fajar]

i'am interesting your post

 

[Msbeepbeep]

I have found coins similar but newer. If the ridge on the edge is worn away it may have been trapped in a washer or other machine or place where it received a constant wearing down. I have found coins at the beach that were worn down a lot also.

 

[Limitool]

Ok Dave.... As you know (or will) I, Limitool professes to know everything on Thursdays. If I don't know 100% for sure I'll come up with something. Let's see.... since this was the year in which I was born gives us a hint. And... you being an ex-smoker (RIGHT!) might be another clue. And you living "In da bush" out of coins original country is another clue. IMPORTANT: Was it sunny when you found it or cloudy?

Hell the phone rang and I forgot where I was going with this.... probably for the better. I gotta make a beer run.... later Dave..... Brad

 

[galenrog]

This coin appears to have spent a lot of time in a mild acid environment. I see this frequently.

 

[Muddyhandz]

Thanks for the replies!
Have to keep in mind that it's more than half the normal weight and nothing could diminish almost 2 grams of copper without completely wearing away the details on the outside.
It looks like acid has eaten away but that is just wear and the way it photographed. It's not pitted.
It's paper thin right through evenly, not just on the edges like from a washing machine.
There's no logical explanation outside of it being an error!

 

[T.C.]

I've got a similar one over on the coin forum....it's 1967.

 

[Limitool]

Dave... It does appear that some of the detail is still present (kinda) and that the outer ridge lines are gone. I have no idea what this difference would tally to total weight but it might be a lot. This meaning if the outer outward ridge lines were removed on both sides....? It will be much thinner and weight less... but this leads full circle to how/why? But it does appear to have had an acid bath of some kind. Did you find it near a school?

 

[Muddyhandz]

Brad, I did find it somewhat near a school. It was part of a 4 penny spill.... 3 Canadian (1952, 1958, 1963) and the wheat cent to be precise.

I cleaned the surface with a plastic scouring pad because there was a build-up on it which still covers some of the details.....



It's possible someone ground the edge down but it is still much thinner in the center than a normal wheat penny.
That's still a lot of weight missing.

 

[l.cutler]

A coin that thin would not have fully struck details if it was struck that way. That is exactly how acid works on a coin, it removes the surface evenly, leaving the details intact.

 

[Muddyhandz]

O.k acid it is......
I guess the error is in my thinking as I would think you would loose a lot more detail in order to eat away more than half its density.
It's not the nicest looking wheat but I've seen many look this way on the surface after being in the ground for some time.
Thank you.....I will go with acid and trip out no more in regards to this penny!

 

[Limitool]

Hey Dave.... I'm not saying it went through an acid bath. I'm only saying (as said before) that the detail in strike would not have occurred on a "blank" that thin during the manufacturing procedure. The reason for the school question was just the obvious that maybe some kid soaked it in a coke can for a few months, some other acid or some other chemical then lost it....? Hell I don't know.

I lied about knowing everything on Thursdays... but I think I do.

Later buddy.... Brad

 

[Sod Buster]

Hmmmmm.................Looks like Crispin had something to do with it.