sdawnmiller Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 (edited) 1974 silver color magnetic penny , is it possible to be experimental coin? Edited October 29, 2020 by sdawnmiller add question Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenstang Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 Welcome to the Forum- Please state what your question is and show a clear picture of both sides of the coin so we can diagnose it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdawnmiller Posted October 29, 2020 Author Share Posted October 29, 2020 How can I tell if this is real or fake? Can it be experimental coin? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenstang Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 What is the weight? The only experimental cent in 1974 was an aluminum one which would be very light and non magnetic. It is probably a cent that has been nickel plated which would account for it being magnetic, maybe a high school experiment. We see these on the Forum quite often. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Member: Seasoned Veteran DWLange Posted October 29, 2020 Member: Seasoned Veteran Share Posted October 29, 2020 Cents were also coined in bronze-clad steel with the 1974 date during 1974-75, but nothing came of this experiment. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bsshog40 Posted October 29, 2020 Share Posted October 29, 2020 With the memorial steps being filled in, looks like it was probably plated to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrosee Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 (edited) On 10/29/2020 at 4:24 PM, bsshog40 said: With the memorial steps being filled in, looks like it was probably plated to me. I have a 1975 steel/silver colored that I have been holding onto for quite some time and never thought that the memorial steps might show plating. After reading the quoted post, I went right away to take a good look at it and it looks like the steps are still there. So I was going to post the question/pics here but I decided to go get it weighed as mentioned in an earlier post. I went to a jeweler and asked him to weigh my coin for me. He took one look at it and refused to take it out of the sleeve I have it in or weigh it. He said to not take it out of the sleeve and not to let anyone touch it. He said if it was real it might be worth something and to send it to NGC. I told him I had planned on it but did not want to waste my time in case it was plated or a high school experiment or something. He asked for it back and put it in a machine that he had there and after a moment he declared it NOT plated and that it was most likely zinc. I cannot find any info on this coin other than it might be plated (it isn't) and then someone mentioned on a post somewhere that it may have been an experiment with different materials by a mint and should have never left the mint. So my question is, I am getting on the side of sending it for grading but I wanted to get an opinion from those smarter than me here...send it in or what the heck is this thing? Thank you in advance for advice. Edited November 13, 2020 by Fabrosee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted November 13, 2020 Share Posted November 13, 2020 (edited) 16 hours ago, Fabrosee said: I have a 1975 steel/silver colored that I have been holding onto for quite some time and never thought that the memorial steps might show plating. After reading the quoted post, I went right away to take a good look at it and it looks like the steps are still there. So I was going to post the question/pics here but I decided to go get it weighed as mentioned in an earlier post. I went to a jeweler and asked him to weigh my coin for me. He took one look at it and refused to take it out of the sleeve I have it in or weigh it. He said to not take it out of the sleeve and not to let anyone touch it. He said if it was real it might be worth something and to send it to NGC. I told him I had planned on it but did not want to waste my time in case it was plated or a high school experiment or something. He asked for it back and put it in a machine that he had there and after a moment he declared it NOT plated and that it was most likely zinc. I cannot find any info on this coin other than it might be plated (it isn't) and then someone mentioned on a post somewhere that it may have been an experiment with different materials by a mint and should have never left the mint. So my question is, I am getting on the side of sending it for grading but I wanted to get an opinion from those smarter than me here...send it in or what the heck is this thing? Thank you in advance for advice. I have many cents like this. I made them that way. They could be created by dipping any new cent into heavily used photographic fixer, either from a black&white or color production line. I took many many new cents, suspended them in C-41 process fixer for a few minutes. They silver plated very securely and it takes a great deal of rubbing to get it off. Keep in mind that the 1970's was near the peak of use of the C-41 process. "Lab rats" made tons of these. Edited November 13, 2020 by VKurtB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrosee Posted November 14, 2020 Share Posted November 14, 2020 That's why I went to get it weighed...did you notice in the post you quoted that the jeweler that I took it to tested it and determined it not to be plated? If it is not plated how can it be one like you made? Did you make some that were not plated? If so, I would like to hear about it...maybe it is similar to mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdawnmiller Posted November 16, 2020 Author Share Posted November 16, 2020 what was the weight and did you do a gravity test Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted November 16, 2020 Share Posted November 16, 2020 (edited) On 11/13/2020 at 9:59 PM, Fabrosee said: That's why I went to get it weighed...did you notice in the post you quoted that the jeweler that I took it to tested it and determined it not to be plated? If it is not plated how can it be one like you made? Did you make some that were not plated? If so, I would like to hear about it...maybe it is similar to mine. Fab, Not to put too fine a point on it, but I don’t believe your jeweler knows his butt from a hole in the ground. Sorry, but that’s the most likely answer, by a country mile. People with coins put waaaaaay too much faith in “jewelers”. Edited November 16, 2020 by VKurtB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fabrosee Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 On 11/16/2020 at 7:13 AM, sdawnmiller said: what was the weight and did you do a gravity test Thank you sdawnmiller an actual constructive inquiry.. I weighed it myself with other coins for comparison. 5 copper pennies from different years (1947, 1975, 1977 & 1981) all were the same weight - 3.1 grams 3 1943 steel pennies had 3 different weights (2.6, 2.7 & 2.8 grams) The coin in question had the weight of 3.1 grams. To do the SG test I need to get a scale that will measure to hundredths of a gram. I will post the results when I get the scale and do the tests. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sdawnmiller Posted November 19, 2020 Author Share Posted November 19, 2020 On 10/29/2020 at 4:42 PM, DWLange said: Cents were also coined in bronze-clad steel with the 1974 date during 1974-75, but nothing came of this experiment. The Mint admitted that they experimented and some got away from being destroyed and may actually be worth something. Should I send for grade? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VKurtB Posted November 19, 2020 Share Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) Bronze coated steel would still be red or brown, not white. Look at a modern U.K. penny or two pence, or a recent (comparatively) Canadian cent. They are ALL bronze coated steel. A white 1974 cent is either aluminum, or a post-minted plating job - full stop. Edited November 19, 2020 by VKurtB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
