Stamped on the Brass without the Copper 1965

[gman7665]

Here is another 'Funky' coin I found today , It's a 1965 cent without the Copper, Has all the lettering and date but very thin and Brass. Anyone ever see anything like this before ? if so is it or could it be of any Value? Thanks again ...

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Diving for Pleasure and Treasure - Grab it through Amazon!

[l.cutler]

It has been eaten away by acid. Cents before 1982 were not copper coated, they were the same composition all the way through. Except of course 1943 when they were zinc coated steel.

 

[gman7665]

I thought I had read that Cents at some point were made w/ Brass or Bronze ? Either way its very Kewl ... It is Brass or Bronze Not Copper ...

 

[Ironman!]

I thought I had read that Cents at some point were made w/ Brass or Bronze ? Either way its very Kewl ... It is Brass or Bronze Not Copper ...

I agree with Mr. Cutler. The coin looks to have been eaten away by acid or acidic conditions. Back in my coinshooting days in the 70's & 80's I found many pennies like the one you have pictured. Some pennies I found in water also looked this way. What you may have read was that back in WWII brass cartridge casings were salvaged to make cents from 1944-1946. These had the same weight as the regular cents only the tin was not used as an alloy. The Red Book references this statement.

IM

 

[gman7665]

I know about how coins Rot , This is so thin that all the detail would be totally gone if that were the problem with it? I think It was Struck like this with that much detail and as thin as it is ?

 

[l.cutler]

Cents actually haven't been copper since 1857. Starting in late 1864 they were made of Bronze, 95% copper 5% tin and zinc. There were temporary changes during WWII, then back to bronze. In 1962 the tin was dropped making them brass,95% copper 5% zinc, then in 1982 they were completely changed to the present copper coated zinc. So your coin would be made of brass. No way it could have been struck that thin, the acid affects the surfaces pretty evenly leaving the image as the coin erodes. Pretty interesting find nonetheless.

 

[unclemac]

I thought I had read that Cents at some point were made w/ Brass or Bronze ? Either way its very Kewl ... It is Brass or Bronze Not Copper ...

1944....brass content from WW2 ammo shells....

 

[unclemac]

I know about how coins Rot , This is so thin that all the detail would be totally gone if that were the problem with it? I think It was Struck like this with that much detail and as thin as it is ?

you do have a point...i have found dozens of pennies on the beach that are that thin and they have little detail. but if you look at yours, the obverse is somewhat pitted and has lost a lot of detail while the reverse retains a lot of detail. Almost as if it was sitting face up for a long time exposed to something that damaged it.

all in all...not a mint error.

 

[gman7665]

Thanks for the input... Guess I'll toss it...