I thought maybe my Parents were going to pay off their House . . . .

[tmosc]

So my father calls me tonight and tells me he's found a sliverish Penny in one of his desk drawers. I asked , of course, the date thinking that he had '43 Steel Cent. He tells me " no it's a 1974 D ". HOLY $[€¡ !!!!! I told him I'm coming over with my scale ! Unfortunately it weighed in at 3.14 grams and ended up being plated. Oh well. It made for an exciting half hour of my life. Lol. Pics attached. Happy hunting!

 

[kingskid1611]

I got one that is still shiny. I could fool a lot of people with it. When I first got it I got the rapid heart rate.

 

[A2coins]

Really I found a silverish penny at work just thought it was odd tossed it in my drawer don't even know the date long time ago what is it the 1974 silver color penny your talking about wht is it so valuable just curious Thanks Some day hopefully youll find a very valuable coin that's why we do what we do one reason anyway

 

[wagbert]

Google "1974- Aluminum Cent" ...........You could pay off about anyone's house with one of those "pennies".

 

[trapperart]

Cool

 

[Trezurehunter]

Oh well. Almost.

 

[treblehunter]

Mint seeks return of 1974-D aluminum cent

Nice find, exciting anyhow.

 

[kingskid1611]

The penny that is in my collection of this sort would grade pretty high but I have been waiting for this controversy to be over before getting it appraised. If I send it in I am worried it would be taken by the gooberment.

 

[tmosc]

Rare penny could be worth $2 million

 

[AU Seeker]

Anyone who may, against all odds, does indeed find either a 1974 or 1974 D aluminum penny or other experimental coins struck by the US Mint that never got approval for release to the public will have a hard road cashing in on the rewards, because the Secret Service has been put to the task of confiscating and destroying these aluminum pennies and other experimental coins, the only aluminum 1974 D penny known is the subject of a legal battle since 2013/2014 between the Secret Service and Randy Lawrence who inherited the coin from his father Harry Lawrence who was the Assistant Superintendent of the Denver mint in 1974, the Secret Service became aware of the coin when Randy took the coin to a coin shop and then it was graded and then scheduled to be auctioned through a Heritage Coin Auction.

Link to articles of the litigation over the only known 1974 D aluminum penny, to my knowledge it's still ongoing.

Federal judge rules against government in 1974-D cent case

Legal fight continues over rare $250,000 aluminum penny | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com

The Coin Analyst: Federal Judge Rules Against Government in 1974-D Aluminum Cent Case

 

[kingskid1611]

Anyone who may, against all odds, does indeed find either a 1974 or 1974 D aluminum penny or other experimental coins struck by the US Mint that never got approval for release to the public will have a hard road cashing in on the rewards, because the Secret Service has been put to the task of confiscating and destroying these aluminum pennies and other experimental coins, the only aluminum 1974 D penny known is the subject of a legal battle since 2013/2014 between the Secret Service and Randy Lawrence who inherited the coin from his father Harry Lawrence who was the Assistant Superintendent of the Denver mint in 1974, the Secret Service became aware of the coin when Randy took the coin to a coin shop and then it was graded and then scheduled to be auctioned through a Heritage Coin Auction.

Link to articles of the litigation over the only known 1974 D aluminum penny, to my knowledge it's still ongoing.

Federal judge rules against government in 1974-D cent case

Legal fight continues over rare $250,000 aluminum penny | SanDiegoUnionTribune.com

The Coin Analyst: Federal Judge Rules Against Government in 1974-D Aluminum Cent Case

Known to exist is what they say when more were not recovered. Look at how many they say they made, then look at what they don't say were destroyed. Makes you wonder don't it.

 

[AU Seeker]

The penny that is in my collection of this sort would grade pretty high but I have been waiting for this controversy to be over before getting it appraised. If I send it in I am worried it would be taken by the gooberment.

Kingskid keep in mind even if Randy Lawrence does win in his battle with the Secret Service doesn't give anyone else with one of these coins the right to the coin, you would still have to go to court and prove you obtained the coin legally!!

Possession in itself doesn't prove ownership, you would have to prove that the coin's ownership was transferred/given to you or someone you got it from by someone with the proper authority of the US Mint, otherwise it's still property of the US Mint!!

 

[kingskid1611]

Kingskid keep in mind even if the Randy Lawrence does win in his battle with the Secret Service doesn't give anyone else with one of these coins the right to the coin, you would still have to go to court and prove you obtained the coin legally!!

Possession in itself doesn't prove ownership, you would have to prove that the coin's ownership was transferred/given to you or someone you got it from by someone with the proper authority of the US Mint, otherwise it's still property of the US Mint!!

First off they gave them to members of Congress. Which means they legally left the mint. They were owned by those congressman who could do with the what they chose. If they just gave them to grandkids or whatever. The chain of command of these cents were most likely lost. They have one that was found on the ground by a officer so who can say there was not more like this. I think the US mint has some major problems if they give them away and then expect to maintain claim to them after the fact. All articles I have read on this subject suggests that they could not recover all the coins. So until they become transparent and allow the amount recovered to the amount minted then there could be thousands out there floating around.

 

[AU Seeker]

First off they gave them to members of Congress. Which means they legally left the mint. They were owned by those congressman who could do with the what they chose. If they just gave them to grandkids or whatever. The chain of command of these cents were most likely lost. They have one that was found on the ground by a officer so who can say there was not more like this. I think the US mint has some major problems if they give them away and then expect to maintain claim to them after the fact. All articles I have read on this subject suggests that they could not recover all the coins. So until they become transparent and allow the amount recovered to the amount minted then there could be thousands out there floating around.

You're referring to the 1974 aluminum pennies, not the 1974 D aluminum pennies which were never authorized to be struck in the first place and only 12 to 14 were struck.

That being said you are correct that the US Mint did distribute 1974 aluminum pennies to the US Congress members but not for ownership but to approve the change in the metal used to produce pennies, most but obviously not all were recovered by the Secret Service, there are only 2 "known", one at the Smithsonian and the other found by the US Capital Police Officer, which was mistaken by the Congressman that dropped it and by the officer as a dime and he was told to keep it, but that doesn't prove ownership IMHO.

If your's is the 1974 with no mint mark you may not have as much trouble keeping it, but the other hand you may still have to go through litigation to be proven the rightful owner of the coin, from my research it's not as valuable as the 1974 D but could be proven to be since one has never been sold that I'm aware of.

 

[kingskid1611]

You're referring to the 1974 aluminum pennies, not the 1974 D aluminum pennies which were never authorized to be struck in the first place and only 12 to 14 were struck.

That being said you are correct that the US Mint did distribute to the US Congress members but most, but obviously not all were recovered by the Secret Service, there are only 2 "known", one at the Smithsonian and the other found by the Congressional Police Officer, which was mistaken by the Congressman that dropped it and by the officer as a dime and he was told to keep it.

If your's is the 1974 with no mint mark you may not have as much trouble keeping it, but the other hand you may still have to go through litigation to be proven the rightful owner of the coin, from my research it's not as valuable as the 1974 D but could be proven to be since one has never been sold that I'm aware of.

And that is the reason I won't get it authenticated. I don't want the litigation or the hassle right now. When and If this was over then I would find a local auction to go with.

 

[AU Seeker]

And that is the reason I won't get it authenticated. I don't want the litigation or the hassle right now. When and If this was over then I would find a local auction to go with.

Kingskid, I wish you good luck, the coin found by Officer Toven hasn't been seized by the Secret Service to my knowledge so you may not have any trouble trying to sell it, it would be interesting to see what it would sell for.

That being said Toven has never tried to sell his coin so that maybe why the government hasn't tried to take it back.

 

[kingskid1611]

Kingskid, I wish you good luck, the coin found by Officer Toven hasn't been seized by the Secret Service to my knowledge so you may not have any trouble trying to sell it.

That being said Toven has never tried to sell his coin so that maybe why the government hasn't tried to take it back.

Lol wait till his relatives get it in inheritance.

 

[tmosc]

I meant to put this here NOT start a new thread. Lol. Oh well. One more shot next to a 1996 Copper.