1976 Gold Colored Penny? 0

[Jfanth]

I found this 1976 gold colored penny. Worth sending in to be evaluated?

[JKK]

No, it's not.

[Coinbuf]

On 3/22/2022 at 12:43 PM, JKK said:

No, it's not.

Agreed

[Greenstang]

Not unless you want to spend $50-60 on a coin worth one cent

[Oldhoopster]

Science experiment after it left the mint.  Here is how to make more just like it

https://www.sciencecompany.com/Turn-Copper-Pennies-Into-Silver-and-Gold-Pennies.aspx

 

 

[J P M]

I have found some pre 1982 coppers that are quite bronze or gold colored. Copper can take on many different shades from whatever environment it is has been exposed to.  

[Woods020]

Heat will turn most clad/alloyed coins, regardless of exact composition, a gold color. As the zinc/nickel and copper diffuse with heat they turn gold-ish. Take a cent, dime, or quarter and bake them for a little while. Poof you have a gold colored coin. Cents are the least golden of the bunch because of composition. 

Edited March 22, 2022 by Woods020

[RWB]

I've asked this before -- but, why would jfantj think this was in any way of value? Same question for road-kill coins, holes punched in them, invisible "doubling" damage? What is fueling this?

[JKK]

On 3/22/2022 at 2:52 PM, RWB said:

I've asked this before -- but, why would jfantj think this was in any way of value? Same question for road-kill coins, holes punched in them, invisible "doubling" damage? What is fueling this?

Because it looks different than what they are used to; they aren't very familiar with coins; they want to check with knowledgeable people before they just go off half-cocked and send it in. In short, because they are being prudent and sensible. And since they are not debating with us, they are benefiting from the opinions and using good sense.

[Jfanth]

On 3/22/2022 at 5:11 PM, JKK said:

Because it looks different than what they are used to; they aren't very familiar with coins; they want to check with knowledgeable people before they just go off half-cocked and send it in. In short, because they are being prudent and sensible. And since they are not debating with us, they are benefiting from the opinions and using good sense.

Thank you for not degrading someone who does not know enough about coins. I appreciate it. People like RWB make us newbies, who truly just want to ask an honest question out of nativity, feel like absolute…

Edited March 22, 2022 by Jfantj

[VKurtB]

On 3/22/2022 at 6:15 PM, Jfantj said:

Thank you for not degrading someone who does not know enough about coins. I appreciate it. People like RWB make us newbies, who truly just want to ask an honest question out of nativity, feel like absolute…

I have one question. What suddenly makes someone care about coins who self-admittedly doesn’t know about coins? Can someone explain that to Roger and me?

[RWB]

On 3/22/2022 at 7:15 PM, Jfantj said:

Thank you for not degrading someone who does not know enough about coins. I appreciate it. People like RWB make us newbies, who truly just want to ask an honest question out of nativity, feel like absolute…

There was no intention of "degrading" you or anyone else, and you should not assume that was its purpose.

So much of the material presented here is obviously damage, or somehow created by misleading internet junk, that it is difficult to imaging anyone remotely thinking otherwise. Jfanti's coin is not damaged. Merely misunderstood; yet that does not respond to the Gov. of Alabama's comment "Use some common sense, people."

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

On 3/22/2022 at 7:56 PM, VKurtB said:

I have one question. What suddenly makes someone care about coins who self-admittedly doesn’t know about coins? Can someone explain that to Roger and me?

I can explain it.

I never cared about coins.  They were nothing but a pain in the neck... worthless items that i find on the floor or in my couch cushions.  The buying power is negligible, and all I really knew were coins that I found in change.  After all... all coins in change are the same, right?  

But... then a coin grabbed my attention.  It was a 1943 steel cent.  It was a grayish-white cull coin, and nearly worthless.  But, I had not seen one before.. and I saved it.    Then, I found it was steel and stuck to a magnet... again, I thought it was just the weirdest thing I had seen... and I thought I had something valuable.  Of course I was wrong, but I was interested.  I learned coin roll hunting and started doing that to find more (which I did not, further fueling my impression that the 1943 was rare).  However, I found that I could find a 2017 P penny... again... very neat and different, but worthless.  I didn't know if it was valuable or not, so I saved those, too.  I didn't know about coins, grading, or even that forums like this existed (frankly, I didn't care).

The "coin shortage" occurred, and suddenly I could not get rolled coins to hunt.  At this point I was accustomed to hunting change, and was enjoying it... my little kids enjoyed it, and that made it even more fun.  But now... it seemed to be over and I was disappointed, so I called a coin shop (thinking I would buy rolled coins from them, because I had never stepped foot into a coin shop).

When I got to the coin shop, I was shown a large cent.  I was amazed that a "penny" was this size of a half dollar... and how could something so old be in such great shape (my 1943 cent was the oldest coin I ever saw)?  I was "star struck" by these old beautiful coins.  I asked the price, and I almost fell over.  What?  $1000 for a penny?  These guys are nuts!  But, I never forgot about the coin... and I started reading on them.

Today, I own that 1818 N-10 that floored me in the coin shop.  I also know that what seemed like I was getting ripped-off on price was actually a good deal.  Then I learned that all "MS64" coins are not created equal, and why one 64 and the next 64 can be drastically different in price.

This hobby is extremely nuanced.  Any newcomer will not know these nuances, and many of you will forget more about numismatics than I will ever know.  However, I do know that many collectors start with a coin that they find, and find interesting.  99.999999% of the time it is not very rare or valuable... but, it plants the seed, and the love for coins is one that is cultivated over time.

Hope this helps, as I know that many of the seasoned collectors forget what it is to be new in this hobby. 

Edited March 23, 2022 by The Neophyte Numismatist
errors abound

[JKK]

On 3/23/2022 at 10:00 AM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Hope this helps, as I know that many of the seasoned collectors forget what it is to be new in this hobby. 

That last is a perfect summary of one of our greatest problems around here: People who have known a lot for so long they can no longer conceive of not knowing a lot. They can see only their own perspectives. The idea of not knowing the proper color of a penny is too alien for them to contemplate; thus, anyone who doesn't must surely be illogical, not too bright, etc. Never mind that, unlike mint errors and mechanical doubling and parking lot damage, the color issue is a little more advanced knowledge because it comes not just from seeing pennies, but examining them with a critical eye. Most people out in society have seen a lot of pennies, but few examine them. What is obvious to them, they figure, must automatically be obvious to even the rankest beginner. There is probably a philosophical or psychological term for this inability to see other perspectives, but I'm neither a psychologist nor a philosopher.

Obviously, there are degrees of this. Coin color might be at the high newbie level of understanding. Parking lot damage seems to me pretty easy to diagnose, given that most people have found a penny in a parking lot. Doubling is toward the high end of newbie. Phantom dates and lettering are toward the low, given that they seem to be triggered by a lot of reallywannaseeit (aka pareidoilia, or however it's spelled). Non-numismatic critical thinking will tend to dispose of the low-end ones, such as "I think this is a quarter struck on a nickel planchet." Research and self-education will also help, but for people to get worked up about those, they have to hang around long enough to care. Even then, not all research is created equal. That presented on YT is so consistently awful that "I researched it on YT" is like announcing "I think my proof coins look better with thumb prints."

This intellectual myopia exists in many areas. It's much like the chemistry professors forced by their jobs to teach freshman chemistry, and doing an awful and cruel job of it, because they would rather be dealing with grad students and research. It's this way with many techies: they can fix it, but if you want them to teach you how to fix it yourself, they can't because the idea of not knowing is beyond their recent experience. It's a human tendency.

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

@Jfantj I also want to defend the group of collectors on the forum.  I have not been around very long.  But, it does not take long to see collectors posting threads the start like this one, but the requestor of information quickly gets defiant - swearing that the double die is legit, swearing a fake coin is real, cleaned coin is not cleaned, etc etc etc.  I am not saying you did this at all.... however, there is a bit of a hair trigger with continuous argumentative posts from people who obviously do not know about coins (or simply want to stir pots).  

Even when the the new collector is not defiant... there does become a point of fatigue when posters ask "should I send this in for grading?"  If you found the coin in change, the answer is almost always "no".  Even if it was... you should not submit a coin until you completely understand the grading scale, what coins in that grade look like, and the effect of grade (and missing that grade) on the price of the coin.  (Don't spend $50 to grade a coin that is worth less than the cost of grading.  Don't think you have an MS67 when you have an XF40.  You will get burned).

There are many highly experienced collectors, dealers, and numismatic researchers on these threads.  They truly know their stuff and have much numismatic brainpower.

Something that will always help you is to try to do a little of your own research before posting about a coin.  If you are not sure how to research a coin yourself, THAT is a great question to ask - "Hey, what's a great site to investigate double dies? I think I have one."  A question like this is specific and shows numismatic initiative, and that goes a long way here. 

[VKurtB]

On 3/23/2022 at 12:00 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

I can explain it.

I never cared about coins.  They were nothing but a pain in the neck... worthless items that i find on the floor or in my couch cushions.  The buying power is negligible, and all I really knew were coins that I found in change.  After all... all coins in change are the same, right?  

But... then a coin grabbed my attention.  It was a 1943 steel cent.  It was a grayish-white cull coin, and nearly worthless.  But, I had not seen one before.. and I saved it.    Then, I found it was steel and stuck to a magnet... again, I thought it was just the weirdest thing I had seen... and I thought I had something valuable.  Of course I was wrong, but I was interested.  I learned coin roll hunting and started doing that to find more (which I did not, further fueling my impression that the 1943 was rare).  However, I found that I could find a 2017 P penny... again... very neat and different, but worthless.  I didn't know if it was valuable or not, so I saved those, too.  I didn't know about coins, grading, or even that forums like this existed (frankly, I didn't care).

The "coin shortage" occurred, and suddenly I could not get rolled coins to hunt.  At this point I was accustomed to hunting change, and was enjoying it... my little kids enjoyed it, and that made it even more fun.  But now... it seemed to be over and I was disappointed, so I called a coin shop (thinking I would buy rolled coins from them, because I had never stepped foot into a coin shop).

When I got to the coin shop, I was shown a large cent.  I was amazed that a "penny" was this size of a half dollar... and how could something so old be in such great shape (my 1943 cent was the oldest coin I ever saw)?  I was "star struck" by these old beautiful coins.  I asked the price, and I almost fell over.  What?  $1000 for a penny?  These guys are nuts!  But, I never forgot about the coin... and I started reading on them.

Today, I own that 1818 N-10 that floored me in the coin shop.  I also know that what seemed like I was getting ripped-off on price was actually a good deal.  Then I learned that all "MS64" coins are not created equal, and why one 64 and the next 64 can be drastically different in price.

This hobby is extremely nuanced.  Any newcomer will not know these nuances, and many of you will forget more about numismatics than I will ever know.  However, I do know that many collectors start with a coin that they find, and find interesting.  99.999999% of the time it is not very rare or valuable... but, it plants the seed, and the love for coins is one that is cultivated over time.

Hope this helps, as I know that many of the seasoned collectors forget what it is to be new in this hobby. 

Okay, I think I get that, but there is also a universal truth hanging out there: rare coins are, well, darn it, RARE. They seldom show up in random change or even in roll hunting. When the exception hits websites and newspapers, it does so because it is the exception. “Dog bites man” is not news. “Man bites dog” may very well be. One thing that evades many new searchers is that this hobby tends to hoard the unusual. When you find something visually unusual, chances are that it has already been widely hoarded by existing collectors. The truly valuable coins are about high demand more than lack of supply. By one measure, one actually used in ANA exhibiting, there basically is no such thing as a truly rare U.S. coin. 1804 dollars and 1913 Libnicks excepted.

The hobby at large does not consider even “sold out in 8 minutes” modern silver coins even moderately scarce, much less rare.  

Edited March 23, 2022 by VKurtB

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

On 3/23/2022 at 7:03 PM, VKurtB said:

Okay, I think I get that, but there is also a universal truth hanging out there: rare coins are, well, darn it, RARE. They seldom show up in random change or even in roll hunting. When the exception hits websites and newspapers, it does so because it is the exception. “Dog bites man” is not news. “Man bites dog” may very well be. One thing that evades many new searchers is that this hobby tends to hoard the unusual. When you find something visually unusual, chances are that it has already been widely hoarded by existing collectors. The truly valuable coins are about high demand more than lack of supply. By one measure, one actually used in ANA exhibiting, there basically is no such thing as a truly rare U.S. coin. 1804 dollars and 1913 Libnicks excepted.

The hobby at large does not consider even “sold out in 8 minutes” modern silver coins even moderately scarce, much less rare.  

Totally agree with you... the hobby misrepresents "rarity" all the time.  I hear collectors in my club talking about their "rare" coins, but by numismatic definition do not qualify as scarce.  These guys have been collecting coins since before I was born.  YouTube, HSN, QVC, and your local coin shop all telling you that what they are selling/showing is rare.  There is really no wonder why many collectors wave their coins in the air like Charlie when he found Wonka's golden ticket.  The misinformation on rarity is literally everywhere a reasonable person would start their quest for coin information.

By the true and most stringent of definition of rarity, very few (if any) of us would qualify as RARE coin collectors.  If a collector has a single truly rare coin, their collection surpasses 99%+ of the people in this hobby.  And... I am not talking about someones old shoebox collection... I mean a collector with what would be widely considered to be "nice coins"  (heck - top registry collectors).

So, as you stated... it's all about demand.  It's true that circulated coins are generally more fun than "in demand".  I have never seen anyone on this forum post a coin that they found in change that is something that can buy a car (or a cup of great coffee).  But... we all start somewhere and we have fun as we go.  

Our best bet to assist in creating demand is to become evangelical in the hobby. 

Edited March 24, 2022 by The Neophyte Numismatist

[Woods020]

On 3/23/2022 at 12:00 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

I can explain it.

I never cared about coins.  They were nothing but a pain in the neck... worthless items that i find on the floor or in my couch cushions.  The buying power is negligible, and all I really knew were coins that I found in change.  After all... all coins in change are the same, right?  

But... then a coin grabbed my attention.  It was a 1943 steel cent.  It was a grayish-white cull coin, and nearly worthless.  But, I had not seen one before.. and I saved it.    Then, I found it was steel and stuck to a magnet... again, I thought it was just the weirdest thing I had seen... and I thought I had something valuable.  Of course I was wrong, but I was interested.  I learned coin roll hunting and started doing that to find more (which I did not, further fueling my impression that the 1943 was rare).  However, I found that I could find a 2017 P penny... again... very neat and different, but worthless.  I didn't know if it was valuable or not, so I saved those, too.  I didn't know about coins, grading, or even that forums like this existed (frankly, I didn't care).

The "coin shortage" occurred, and suddenly I could not get rolled coins to hunt.  At this point I was accustomed to hunting change, and was enjoying it... my little kids enjoyed it, and that made it even more fun.  But now... it seemed to be over and I was disappointed, so I called a coin shop (thinking I would buy rolled coins from them, because I had never stepped foot into a coin shop).

When I got to the coin shop, I was shown a large cent.  I was amazed that a "penny" was this size of a half dollar... and how could something so old be in such great shape (my 1943 cent was the oldest coin I ever saw)?  I was "star struck" by these old beautiful coins.  I asked the price, and I almost fell over.  What?  $1000 for a penny?  These guys are nuts!  But, I never forgot about the coin... and I started reading on them.

Today, I own that 1818 N-10 that floored me in the coin shop.  I also know that what seemed like I was getting ripped-off on price was actually a good deal.  Then I learned that all "MS64" coins are not created equal, and why one 64 and the next 64 can be drastically different in price.

This hobby is extremely nuanced.  Any newcomer will not know these nuances, and many of you will forget more about numismatics than I will ever know.  However, I do know that many collectors start with a coin that they find, and find interesting.  99.999999% of the time it is not very rare or valuable... but, it plants the seed, and the love for coins is one that is cultivated over time.

Hope this helps, as I know that many of the seasoned collectors forget what it is to be new in this hobby. 

I love that you now own the coin that got you hooked! That’s one I would hope you never sell. 

[Woods020]

On 3/23/2022 at 7:41 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

Totally agree with you... the hobby misrepresents "rarity" all the time.  I hear collectors in my club talking about their "rare" coins, but by numismatic definition do not qualify as scarce.  These guys have been collecting coins since before I was born.  YouTube, HSN, QVC, and your local coin shop all telling you that what they are selling/showing is rare.  There is really no wonder why many collectors wave their coins in the air like Charlie when he found Wonka's golden ticket.  The misinformation on rarity is literally everywhere a reasonable person would start their quest for coin information.

By the true and most stringent of definition of rarity, very few (if any) of us would qualify as RARE coin collectors.  If a collector has a single truly rare coin, their collection surpasses 99%+ of the people in this hobby.  And... I am not talking about someones old shoebox collection... I mean a collector with what would be widely considered to be "nice coins"  (heck - top registry collectors).

So, as you stated... it's all about demand.  It's true that circulated coins are generally more fun than "in demand".  I have never seen anyone on this forum post a coin that they found in change that is something that can buy a car (or a cup of great coffee).  But... we all start somewhere and we have fun as we go.  

Our best bet to assist in creating demand is to become evangelical in the hobby. 

Well said. And we are all coin snobs if truth be told. And that’s ok. That’s how I want to collect and I will. No one will change that. But we sometimes forget collecting comes in many shapes and sizes. People can enjoy the hobby and never spend a dime on numismatic premiums if they want. They can fill coin boards/books and have a blast.

In fact I have tried, with very little success honestly, to change the narrative with the error crazed crowd. I tell them to hunt pocket change or rolls for the best coin they can find. Those are the ones that might increase in value. Look for MS dimes that are well struck, few blemishes and full bands for example. Create an album of the very best you can find. And when you can upgrade do it. It teaches them to focus on quality, but also learn the basics of how to evaluate quality. 
 

 

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

On 3/23/2022 at 11:25 PM, Woods020 said:

I love that you now own the coin that got you hooked! That’s one I would hope you never sell. 

She put a spell on me, and I could not stop thinking about the coin.  It was red/brown but had blue/purple color and a lots of luster.  Its still one of my favorite coins in hand.  I don't think I would ever sell it.  This TrueView is actually not good.. the coin is much more lustrous in hand.

is

[Woods020]

On 3/23/2022 at 10:45 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

She put a spell on me, and I could not stop thinking about the coin.  It was red/brown but had blue/purple color and a lots of luster.  Its still one of my favorite coins in hand.  I don't think I would ever sell it.  This TrueView is actually not good.. the coin is much more lustrous in hand.

is

I can see why. She is a looker. Also she may be fueling some of your die state curiosity. That’s a neat die break.

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Thanks.  I bought the coin because I liked how it looked.  Then I leaned it was an N-10 based on the crack.  From there I was able to further surmise that this coin came from the Randall Hoard that was recovered under a Georgia railway platform from the date, red/brown color and condition.  A good coin can make you want to learn more about it... and so it goes.

[RWB]

For further interest....

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

@RWB Thanks - I have not read this before.  Very interesting.

[RWB]

This is pretty close to the "horse's mouth."

Edited March 24, 2022 by RWB

[USAuPzlBxBob]

Cool "squealer scar."

[Hoghead515]

On 3/23/2022 at 1:00 PM, The Neophyte Numismatist said:

I can explain it.

I never cared about coins.  They were nothing but a pain in the neck... worthless items that i find on the floor or in my couch cushions.  The buying power is negligible, and all I really knew were coins that I found in change.  After all... all coins in change are the same, right?  

But... then a coin grabbed my attention.  It was a 1943 steel cent.  It was a grayish-white cull coin, and nearly worthless.  But, I had not seen one before.. and I saved it.    Then, I found it was steel and stuck to a magnet... again, I thought it was just the weirdest thing I had seen... and I thought I had something valuable.  Of course I was wrong, but I was interested.  I learned coin roll hunting and started doing that to find more (which I did not, further fueling my impression that the 1943 was rare).  However, I found that I could find a 2017 P penny... again... very neat and different, but worthless.  I didn't know if it was valuable or not, so I saved those, too.  I didn't know about coins, grading, or even that forums like this existed (frankly, I didn't care).

The "coin shortage" occurred, and suddenly I could not get rolled coins to hunt.  At this point I was accustomed to hunting change, and was enjoying it... my little kids enjoyed it, and that made it even more fun.  But now... it seemed to be over and I was disappointed, so I called a coin shop (thinking I would buy rolled coins from them, because I had never stepped foot into a coin shop).

When I got to the coin shop, I was shown a large cent.  I was amazed that a "penny" was this size of a half dollar... and how could something so old be in such great shape (my 1943 cent was the oldest coin I ever saw)?  I was "star struck" by these old beautiful coins.  I asked the price, and I almost fell over.  What?  $1000 for a penny?  These guys are nuts!  But, I never forgot about the coin... and I started reading on them.

Today, I own that 1818 N-10 that floored me in the coin shop.  I also know that what seemed like I was getting ripped-off on price was actually a good deal.  Then I learned that all "MS64" coins are not created equal, and why one 64 and the next 64 can be drastically different in price.

This hobby is extremely nuanced.  Any newcomer will not know these nuances, and many of you will forget more about numismatics than I will ever know.  However, I do know that many collectors start with a coin that they find, and find interesting.  99.999999% of the time it is not very rare or valuable... but, it plants the seed, and the love for coins is one that is cultivated over time.

Hope this helps, as I know that many of the seasoned collectors forget what it is to be new in this hobby. 

Great story my friend. I enjoyed reading this. 

[JKK]

Hey, some people think discolored modern coins are special. As in $900 special.

[Hoghead515]

On 3/26/2022 at 3:02 PM, JKK said:

Hey, some people think discolored modern coins are special. As in $900 special.

They lost their mind. 

[VKurtB]

On 3/26/2022 at 2:16 PM, Hoghead515 said:

They lost their mind. 

Yes they have, but they truly think that it’s we who have lost ours. That’s what makes them dangerous.