Gold Penny?

Back-of-the-boat

Gold Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2013
Messages
7,019
Reaction score
8,855
Golden Thread
0
Location
California
Detector(s) used
AT GOLD/Garrett /C.Scope cs4PI/Garrett(carrot) pro pointer/ 5x8 double d coil and sniper coil/Lesche digger/Lesche "T" handle shovel.
Primary Interest:
All Treasure Hunting
I am not aware of any Coin Sets with a Gold Cent in them. It could be someone's experiment or could just be a case of color change due to the environment the coin was in (i.e. minerals, contaminants, etc. in the soil). However, if it was produced at the Philadelphia Mint it is not impossible that a Tenth-Ounce ($5) Gold Tenth Eagle Planchet made it into the Striking Chamber when 2002-P Lincoln Memorial Cents were being produced! If that was possibly the case, then the coin should be overweight and weigh somewhere around 3.393 grams versus the 2.5 gram weight of a normal Copper coated Zinc Cent. Can you post a pic of the coin?


Frank
 

What's it weigh? Is the gold coloring even and consistent?

If it's only gold-toned, then I suspect the cent has been exposed to temp or chemicals that changed the color. I commonly see cents with various shades, ranging from yellow to dark brown.
 

The gold toned penny weighs in at 2.52 and the zinc pictured with it weighs in at 2.47 they were both found in the same spot.They were both in a tot lot with wood chips also the gold toned showed on the screen the same as any other zinc penny no difference.Except in the color of the penny. 100_5926.webp100_5927.webp
 

I really don't think it's anything special was more curious if they had a set with these in them pretty sure it was just an experiment someone did to confound me.:laughing7:Unless someone tells me it's a rare coin worth bazillions it will go into a roll for a CRHer to find and wonder about.
 

Would appear to be normal. Probably a slight color change due to the Ph of your soil, IMO.
 

found one in roll---class chemistry project in electroplating
 

found one in roll---class chemistry project in electroplating

Exactly. I've found a few myself over the years.

...Just not using real gold....right?

Zinc, unfortunately. In the experiment, you electroplate a penny with zinc, making a "silver" penny. You then heat it with a torch to fuse the zinc coating with the copper substrate, resulting in a brass alloy and a "gold" penny.
 

I have actually found them like that. When you mentioned wood chips I remembered that's where I found mine also.
 

There are a lot of possibilities for the coloring of the Cent but the two most likely are: 1) Chemical reaction from the degrading/rotting wood. 2) Too much Zinc in the Copper Plating mixture thus giving the coin the appearance of being Brass.


Frank
 

I found two recently, and sent both of them for grading. It was just toning, nothing special on the ones I have.
 

I found two recently, and sent both of them for grading. It was just toning, nothing special on the ones I have.

I am surprised that you haven't been chastised for sending in the coins for grading, even though they are your' coins to do with as you wish!:icon_scratch::dontknow:


Frank
 

I am surprised that you haven't been chastised for sending in the coins for grading, even though they are your' coins to do with as you wish!:icon_scratch::dontknow:


Frank

"I" certainly won't be the one to chastise!! It may cost, but no better or more accurate education in the world. It's too bad when people can't do something they feel is best for them, without other folks slamming them for doing so. If I make a mistake, I will "hopefully" learn from it. If I do something right, then I want to keep doing that. It really is that simple. Not always painless or happy, but very, very simple. But the modern world is making "simple" more difficult.

Sorry so off-topic - just replying to a post. Smokey, I also have coins that I have considered sending in, just for the knowledge I would gain from doing so. Don't ever allow anyone to chastise you over any such decisions.
 

Get over yourselves. God forbid we discuss coins/grading on a website specifically designed for such discussion.
??!??!??!?? This post doesn't even make sense. Are you upset because we haven't been discussing coins/grading, or because we have?? :dontknow:
 

Get over yourselves. God forbid we discuss coins/grading on a website specifically designed for such discussion.

I don't see anyone saying you can't discuss coins/grading :dontknow:

only thing remotely connected I saw was someone suggesting is don't let
anyone put you down for sending a coin in just out of curiosity.

If I'm missing it, Point it out Please !
 

Last edited:
You're not missing it Jeff. Apparently the poster didn't bother to read the whole thing to understand it was just a comment, no one was chastised.
 

there are known errors with Zincolns having brass plating caused during annealing. the result is zinc migrated into the copper plate resulting in brass instead of copper surface. just got an '83-P in MS condition. they do have value, several years of Zincolns are in play for this error. just posted mine in the CRH forum under $132 CWR cents horde. as ENAMEL also stated--- wet mulch causes some funky things to cents & clad. here is a brass next to a normal, then an amateur example of a copper plated in gold IMG_4186.webpIMG_4187.webpIMG_4196.webpIMG_4197.webp the photos are in daylight so the color is accurately depicted
 

Last edited:

Top Member Reactions

Users who are viewing this thread

Latest Discussions

Back
Top Bottom