I may have thrown back a $250 k cent!

Spizzerinctum

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If you search cents like I do, you may have come across copper cents from various years that have been coated. I found a '43s re-coated with zinc, a '57 that seems to be the same, (both of which I kept) and some others that I did not keep. I remember a '74 that was similar to the zinc, wasn't as glossy and seemed too light. I think I rolled it up with the other copper cents I've been hoarding, of which there are a whopping 350,000 stored away. This morning, I saw a headline about a '74 cent expected to bring $250,000 at auction. Reading on, it was one of about a dozen made from aluminum as an experiment in '74 when copper prices got high. If I had only known this sooner! Now do I dig through all of those rolls and rolls of pennies on the slim chance it may be real or just realize how much time I would likely be wasting and try to forget it? I think it will continue to drive me crazy if I don't try to find it!
 

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SilverHoarder07

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If you are fairly certain there was an odd 74 that you still have somewhere within the hoard, I say go for it...take your time, no rush.
 

fireguy

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I agree. I would but no rush. I think if I were going through them I would make another purpose of it also. I would have a few buckets and as you go through them divide them in the case something like this happeneds you can just go to the 70s bucket of pennies. Might come in handy in the future.

Good luck hopefully you find it.
 

TypeCoin971793

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I didn't know those things were legal to own. Something may have changed since I last read anything, but I thought the Secret Service would confiscate any 1974 aluminium cent as they are not legal tender and not protected under the laws concerning ownership of US pattern coins. I would be interested to know if it is otherwise.

Anyhow, good luck on your venture. I hope you find it, find out it's real, and make $250,000! That's why I always keep aside funky-looking coins, because you never know...
 

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Spizzerinctum

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If mine was real (and I'm pretty sure it is, he said sarcastically) you wouldn't tell on me would you?
I didn't know those things were legal to own. Something may have changed since I last read anything, but I thought the Secret Service would confiscate any 1974 aluminium cent as they are not legal tender and not protected under the laws concerning ownership of US pattern coins. I would be interested to know if it is otherwise.

Anyhow, good luck on your venture. I hope you find it, find out it's real, and make $250,000! That's why I always keep aside funky-looking coins, because you never know...
 

Uncle Jeff

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Wait are you waiting for.. get to looking ..
 

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Spizzerinctum

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The article is in the Jan 29 San Diego UT paper and the auction is in April.
No, I wouldn't do that to anyone. Anyway, if the auction is advertised, then it is probably okay to own. Otherwise the Secret Service would blow open the doors at the auction take the cent, and leave.
 

DixieLandMan

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100_5203.JPG Does anyone know if they did this in 1983 as well? I found this one.

100_5201.JPG

100_5206.JPG
 

baddbluff

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I think it still would be illegal to own. The one pcgs certified has a solid pedigree to a mint official. Even that one may be in court to keep it on private hands in the end. Especially if Obama hears about it - everyone in America should have one or nobody should...
 

50cent

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Illegal, that's why I through it back in. A coin is not worth a felony, get it outside the US, and auction it, you'll probably get $10K at the most, and have agents after you for the rest of your life.
 

FormerTeller

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Apr 24, 2011
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I think I rolled it up with the other copper cents I've been hoarding, of which there are a whopping 350,000 stored away.

:o

I LOL'd! Makes me feel better about my 75,000.

If you do decide to look for it, bear in mind you might be able to find it by weighing rolls. I haven't done the math, but it might work.
 

xrunndonex

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i says it once and I says it again, we here at t-net are the "kings of copper"

You speakin da truth cuz. I was sittin in da whip thinking how ta make sum quick flips. Kno what I figured? Buy dis lil machine it sorts da copper from da clad garbage then I juss take DAT clad back to da bank because its messing wit my hussle. Then take that copper weight it up bag it an den throw it on da bay an sell it to anyone in da world at a marked up price an make dem bustas pay shippn. I'll sell it to tha fools that melt it down don't matter my PayPal will be blowing up son.
 

BuffaloBoy

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sorry, bud, it's not aluminum, it appears plated. weigh it, I bet it is 3.1g.
 

xrunndonex

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My scale I used only does grams as in 1 2 3 not say 2.50 but I weighed it it was 2 weighed another 94 it was 3
 

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