Experimental penny planchets

[Ratzie33]

Thought they were mostly copper. Then I read the article below. Look under the section criteria for evaluation. 

 

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Alternative_Materials_for_One_Cent_Coinage

[Ratzie33]

Found an article. The mint used several experimental planchets in 1973 and 1974 because of the cost of copper. 

 

 

[Ratzie33]

Found an article. The mint used several experimental planchets in 1973 and 1974 because of the cost of copper. 

[Ratzie33]

Whatever it’s made of the whole penny has the same composition, I think by looking at the edge.

[Ratzie33]

https://en.m.wikisource.org/wiki/Alternative_Materials_for_One_Cent_Coinage

 

look under criteria for evaluation alternative one cent materials. My penny is non magnetic and still weighs 3.06 grams. I believe I have an Experimental penny.

[Ratzie33]

Prior to 1974 some coins were struck on experimental “nonsense” dies to simulate their appearance. My penny may be a red bronze zinc alloy never expected to leave the mint. My fingers turn blue after handling the edge of the penny, due to whatever it’s made of.

[Ratzie33]

I suppose because of the uneven corrosion it could also be chromized steel, which is non magnetic.

[Conder101]

Now WHY do you think this corroded cent is made of anything other than the standard 95% copper 5% zinc?  Other than the yellow brass composition, the other alloys would pretty much be visually indistinguishable from each other or from a standard planchet.  (They may have had a slight color difference when new.)  The weight probably eliminates the yellow brass composition, but the others would have weights VERY close to that of the standard composition.  So unless you have the results of a XRF gun test that shows a significantly different composition, I would assume it is a regular corroded cent.