Check this penny out....

1235CE

Hero Member
May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
Detector(s) used
White's DFX

Attachments

  • 1597.jpg
    1597.jpg
    6.1 KB · Views: 778

EDDE

Gold Member
Dec 7, 2004
7,129
65
Detector(s) used
Troy X5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
looks altered...
 

djui5

Bronze Member
May 22, 2006
1,807
293
Mesa, AZ
Detector(s) used
None
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
1235CE said:
No, definately not altered....just wanted to know what the error is called....

Greg


You sure? Looks like that area, including part of Lincons head, has been rubbed quite a bit. It's dull looking, with the rest of the coin being really shiny.
 

EDDE

Gold Member
Dec 7, 2004
7,129
65
Detector(s) used
Troy X5
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
see #2... ;D not saying you fudged it just ,well what dj5 said
 

Monty

Gold Member
Jan 26, 2005
10,746
166
Sand Springs, OK
Detector(s) used
ACE 250, Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Looks like something the ACLU would want our coins to look like. No one is saying you did it, but someone prior to you finding it may have sanded or ground off the inscription. I would think a bad strike would be smoothe whereas this coin looks altered because of the roughened area where the inscription should be. I have to agree with the others unless you have a clearer picture to prove otherwise. Monty
 

OP
OP
1235CE

1235CE

Hero Member
May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
Detector(s) used
White's DFX
Being a rabid coin collector for 30+ years, I have seen MANY altered coins and this is not one of them.....nothing is sanded, filed, or ground down......the "ground down" area is just as smooth as the rest of the planchet.....seems as though that part of the die has "sheared off" if you can picture that.....I have tried to enlarge the picture but not sure if it will work....here goes...

Greg
 

Attachments

  • DSC02463.jpg
    DSC02463.jpg
    27.5 KB · Views: 717
OP
OP
1235CE

1235CE

Hero Member
May 23, 2006
663
195
The Beautiful Berkshires in Western Mass.
Detector(s) used
White's DFX
There, I like that pic better.....As I'm thinking about it.....look at the coin like this.....if indeed a part of the die sheared off (just a guess) there would be nothing at that part of the coin to make contact with the "raw" planchet....maybe the area that looks "rubbed" is actually the area of the "raw" planchet that the die never touched.....A coin does not attain luster and brightness if a die does not make contact with it.....Does that make any sense?.....And by no means do I think I have a valuable coin, just a mystery I am trying to figure out....

Greg
 

djui5

Bronze Member
May 22, 2006
1,807
293
Mesa, AZ
Detector(s) used
None
Primary Interest:
Prospecting
1235CE said:
There, I like that pic better.....As I'm thinking about it.....look at the coin like this.....if indeed a part of the die sheared off (just a guess) there would be nothing at that part of the coin to make contact with the "raw" planchet....maybe the area that looks "rubbed" is actually the area of the "raw" planchet that the die never touched.....A coin does not attain luster and brightness if a die does not make contact with it.....Does that make any sense?.....And by no means do I think I have a valuable coin, just a mystery I am trying to figure out....

Greg

Makes perfect sense :) If you've been doing this for 30 years, you'd know better than I would. The up close picture looks better, but is still a touch blury :)

Not sure what caused it, does seem strange for sure.
 

MalteseFalcon

Bronze Member
Aug 17, 2005
1,338
100
I would say it has been altered. If there were grease in the die, it would still leave the area shinier than it is.
But then stranger things have happened. What do I know?
;D
 

Monty

Gold Member
Jan 26, 2005
10,746
166
Sand Springs, OK
Detector(s) used
ACE 250, Garrett
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
Is this a test? Expert collector asking a bunch of novices? ??? I guess we flunked that one huh? :( Ask another question, I might know it! ;) All joking aside, I have looked at that picture two ways from Sunday and it still looks like the inscription has been rubbed off leaving the surface marred. Maybe I need my eyes examined? I know I need my head examined for sticking with this. What the heck do I know? I certainly hope you do have a very rare valuable coin. Monty
 

Jeffro

Silver Member
Dec 6, 2005
4,095
143
Eugene, Oregon
Detector(s) used
Fisher CZ5, White's GM VSat
Its not altered. A 1999 cent has a zinc core, which would be showing if it was "rubbed" off. It's grease in the die, or something. Perhaps a loose die that shifted to one side causing all the pressure to take on one side only? Hows the thickness measure? If its the same on both sides, I'd have to go with the grease.
 

J

JDSCOIN

Guest
It's a larger picture, but no more detailed. And that is what I think the person who had asked if you could post a larger meant.

To be able to determine more about it, we would have to see more detail. That means taking another or preferably more pictures of it. Is this loss of detail on the coin only on the obverse side? Actually, there are many cents which are like this, but to varying degrees.

It may or may not be a mint error. But we can help you to find out if it is or not if you can help us to see it better. The reason that I ask about the other side is that whenever we see a coin where some detail is lost or where a coin may have been struck after leaving the mint, there should be a corresponding mark or flattening on the opposite side or point of impact. Regards,

JDSCOIN
 

enamel7

Gold Member
Apr 16, 2005
6,383
2,546
North Carolina
Detector(s) used
Garrett AT Gold
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I've found alot of these also. Not always the same place on the coin, but the same effect. I agree with the filled die theory. The smudge of grease and micro metal fragments could give the planchet a dull finish in the area affected.
 

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Top