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1974-D Aluminum Cent

Started by jom,

26 posts in this topic

jom

jom

Posted
Posted

OK, I took a photo of this coin at its display at the recent Long Beach show. It was kinda cool seeing something you had only heard rumors about for years. Also, I don't know if ANYONE knew there was actually a Denver minted issue of this at all. That seems to have come out of left field.

 

Anyways, since I did see a thread on this I thought I'd show the photo for fun!

 

1c-1974d_63p_Aluminum_02062014_zps6cfd3857.jpg

 

If anyone has any info on the coin have at it! :D

 

jom

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Coindude

Coindude

Posted
Posted

That was a funny comment James. The only way you'd be interested in it is if it were raw so you could put it in an album! I wonder if they consider this a mint error and therefore not one of the trial strikes.

 

I've told this story before but in 1975 when I was in third grade I had a friend show me a white metal penny that he slightly bent with his bare hands. I had seen news about the aluminum cent so I offered him a dollar for it. When I came with a dollar for it the next day he said he lost it. I'm not saying for certain that it was an aluminum cent but it looked genuine to a young kid and it was dated 1974.

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Conder101

Conder101

Posted
Posted
It was kinda cool seeing something you had only heard rumors about for years.

Had you actually heard rumours about this coin? I had never heard one thing about it until this coin popped up on the scene. No rumours, no speculation, not one hint of anything.

 

I wonder if they consider this a mint error and therefore not one of the trial strikes.

I consider it to be a mint error. There would be no reason to do trial strikes at Denver when they were doing them already in Philadelphia, and there are NO official records of any being ordered produced or having been produced. If they were produced in the manner the article says there should be records. Of the planchets being shipped, of their arrival, of the striking, and the struck coins being shipped, accounting for all the planchets, arrival of the coins back in Philadelphia etc. None of those records exist. I think it was either an error, or an unofficial piece created by an employee.

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jom

jom

Posted
  • Author
Posted
It was kinda cool seeing something you had only heard rumors about for years.

Had you actually heard rumours about this coin? I had never heard one thing about it until this coin popped up on the scene. No rumours, no speculation, not one hint of anything.

 

 

I guess I wasn't clear. I had certainly heard rumors or at least it was discussed that there were aluminum cents made. Since many of the ones that were given out did NOT return there was speculation some existed. I did NOT mean to imply these rumors were about a Denver mint issue....which I pointed out in my original post came out of left field.

 

jom

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#

#

Posted
Posted

I was offered a 1974-p Aluminum cent last year. From everything I could tell it seemed real. The seller even had the obit from Washington DC of his dad who left it to him. I asked three members here through PM for advise because everything I was told and read states it's a felon to own. Understandably not one of the members responded. I thought for sure it would be seized and or I'd go to jail. I just don't understand how some of these coins, $20 gold, nickels and pennies are allowed but others aren't. Yes I read the legal explanation but thought it was weak and it seems one has to be connected to be allowed to keep it. The secret service originally demanded the return of all these cents but stopped in 1976. Is there a statute of limitations? The govt answer of these were never produced so it's not illegal just doesn't sit well with me. Why is there not a definite answer on the legality of these suspicious coins? I'm 100% sure if I'd announce owning one men in black suits would show up at my door! And to the members I asked for your opinion no worries, I'm not sure if I'd responded either; even though one of them offered to pay me a hefty premium IF I had bought it and IF I still had it....

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CaptHenway

CaptHenway

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@Hashtag ... The Treasury Dept. has said at different times that they are legal to own, and that they are illegal to own. If pushed, they can refer to either statement, depending on what the current staff feels like. Or they can just ignore the question and hope it goes away, as I suspect they are doing with the question of a certain person striking legal tender U.S. coin designs over legal tender coins. In their minds it may simply not be worth bothering with.

 

That sucks, but that's the way they are. They are from the government, and they are here to xxxx us.

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Conder101

Conder101

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As far as I know the Treasury has never said they are legal to own. They said that those who kept them did not have criminal intent. They have always maintained that the 74-P cents are still government property and are subject to seizure. The fact that they have never tried to seize the Toven specimen so far does not mean that they wouldn't if it ever come up for open auction, and someone brought it to their attention.

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RWB

RWB

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The subject has not been tested in Federal court. But, by not acting for 40 years a judge might conclude that they are of no interest to the Treasury.

 

PS: They are not coins.

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Mr.Mcknowitall

Mr.Mcknowitall

Posted
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Excuse my ignorance, but how can this be in a slab with Date, Mintmark, and denomination if it is not a coin?

 

Not legally issued, I think Mr. RWB means. However, I agree with the thrust of your question, in that it certainly has numimatic interest and Standing as a coin, within the hobby. I see nothing improper with referring to it as a coin, in that vein.

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bsshog40

bsshog40

Posted
Posted
Medals and tokens get slabbed, as do pattern pieces. Mine was a technical comment, not vernacular.

I'm not debating you Roger, mostly questioning PCGS. Tokens, medals, & patterns are noted on the slabs. This pcgs slab, in my eyes, is representing this cent as an actual coin. Looks like any other coin slabbed. I could understand it better if it read pattern, error, etc....

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RWB

RWB

Posted
Posted

It's conventional usage. Patterns are not coins, but we all call them coins because they look like real coins.

 

The difference for a pattern piece, incl 1974 Al cents, is that they were not legal tender, but just junk....most of which were thrown away or chopped to bits.

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A.Phillips

A.Phillips

Posted
Posted
Why aren't the govt seizing this coin like they did with the 1933 double eagles?

 

Looks like they want it now:

 

Mint Wants Aluminum Cent Back

 

Mint seeks return of experimental 1974-D aluminum cent

 

The 1974-D aluminum cent owners are going to lose the money after all aluminum cents are returned?

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mumu

mumu

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They might as well have put a "HEY FEDS LOOK AT ME" sticker on it and taken an ad out in the NY Times. If there is a private market alive and well for coins, this is a coin that belongs in that market, not public auctions. They deserve to lose it IMO

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CaptHenway

CaptHenway

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They might as well have put a "HEY FEDS LOOK AT ME" sticker on it and taken an ad out in the NY Times. If there is a private market alive and well for coins, this is a coin that belongs in that market, not public auctions. They deserve to lose it IMO

 

I have written in the past that if you rub the Mint's nose in something, they will react badly to it. This is another such case.

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MarkFeld

MarkFeld

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They might as well have put a "HEY FEDS LOOK AT ME" sticker on it and taken an ad out in the NY Times. If there is a private market alive and well for coins, this is a coin that belongs in that market, not public auctions. They deserve to lose it IMO

 

They deserve to lose it, in part, because they chose not to sell by private transaction and thereby hide it? Would you feel the same about a different coin that has officially been declared illegal to own?

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