Has Anyone Ever Seen a Wheat Cent Like This?

[Erik in NJ]

A Gilded 1909 Wheat Cent?

I dug a few wheats today as well and was checking the dates...I don't much care for anything past 1940. This one struck me as quite odd as in over 12 years of detecting I've never dug one with this sort of toning with remnants of mint lustre around the details. You can see how rough our northern NJ soil is on copper by the pitting so it wasn't a recent drop, but notice the mint luster that's left around parts of the coin. I have never seen this before on a dug coin. Any ideas?? It also appears that someone has defaced this coin by cutting small slits in it near the rim. Has anyone ever seen this sort of toning pattern? Thanks for any input.

 

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[Erik in NJ]

Hi Diggumup, yes when I say gilding I mean whatever process they use toapply a gold colored surface to things like buttons, etc -- many of the dug ones still have some gilding remaining (see my livery button with griffin thread for example). A lot of it seems to come off when an item is in the ground for a long time. It dawned on me last night that this coin was probably once gilded for some reason (although it looks like just the front) and that accounts for the highlights around the lettering/profile and recesses (where gilding typically remains from what I have seen). Looking forward to seeing the earrings.

 

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[diggummup]

I once found a couple gold plated pennies, set in a bezel, fashioned into a pair of earrings once. They were mixed in a large 100 pound lot of wheaties I purchased several months back. I'll try to get a pic up later after work. That's what you mean by gilded right? Plated or coated?

Well, I found one of them. Don't know where the other one is, probably right under my nose. That's what happens when your half blind... literally. Here's the pic as promised-

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thanks for the pics Diggumup! I think that is pretty good evidence as to what caused the coloration on mine as the remaining gilt is in essentially the same areas as on yours! Around the perimeter, profile, and lettering. I think the Lincoln cent may have been the first coin to commemorate a president and so someone thought it was a bit of a novelty and either bought a gilded one or had it done. At first I thought it was clean copper but now I'm sure it's remains of gilt on the coin. Thanks again! And cool find on the earrings!! Best, Erik

 

[Gunrunner61]

Hmmm.......Maybe the 1953's were gold plated(gilt) and given as a birthday gift, (1953 being the year of birth) jmho

 

[texasdirtdigger]

Erik I think you right about the gilding most likely for a pendent or some like that.

 

[Sovereignelite]

I found one like this too, silver plated 1931.

Well, I found one of them. Don't know where the other one is, probably right under my nose. That's what happens when your half blind... literally. Here's the pic as promised-

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