1943 S Steel Penny Repunch Mint Mark? 1 1

[Erin33]

Is this a double struck steel Penny? If not what is it please? If you want me to take c

[powermad5000]

While this might be 1943 S LWC RPM-008, I am not seeing the associated markers that go along with that particular variety. It seems to have an additional die chip filling the top portion of the S. The thing that bothers me about this cent is its unnatural appearance and sheen and appears to be plated. The plating may be covering up any of the associated markers needed to confirm if this is actually the RPM-008. I think with the plating having destroyed the original surface, that further investigation into an RPM is unnecessary as the cent is a details cent and not worth any collector value.

[Erin33]

How will I be able to tell If it’s plated? Is there a weight? 

[Sandon]

On 10/6/2023 at 10:52 PM, Erin33 said:

Is this a double struck steel Penny?

     This 1943-S cent definitely isn't "double struck", which would create multiple images of most or all of the numbers, letters and devices on both sides.

     Before the early 1990s mint marks were punched by hand into each die.  Sometimes the punch was shifted slightly in position between blows, resulting in the die producing coins with repunched mintmarks, also known as "RPMs".  A double struck coin is classified as a mint error, while a coin with a repunched mintmark is classified as a die variety. (A mint error is one of a kind, while a die variety usually exists on each coin struck from the affected die.)   

On 10/6/2023 at 11:52 PM, Erin33 said:

How will I be able to tell If it’s plated?

   We can tell that the coin was plated after it left the mint because of its unnatural shine and because it is bright notwithstanding obvious wear.  An uncirculated 1943 zinc coated steel cent is bright but has frosty luster and is not shiny like this.  A circulated example like this is usually a dark gray color, sometimes with patches of red rust where the zinc coating has worn off.  Years ago, many circulated examples were plated in a misguided effort to make them more saleable. Because the original zinc coating was not applied to the edge of the coin, the edge of an original example in any condition is normally somewhat dull and shouldn't be bright or shiny.

    Here are photos of an original 1943 zinc coated steel cent, PCGS graded MS 66, which show the full detail and the bright and frosty but not shiny surfaces of an uncirculated example. 

 

 

[Erin33]

So your telling me that heritage mint plated their coins? That’s crazy ..and I totally believe you..you guys have the experience..why would they do that? This certificate came with steel Pennies my grandmother bought..from all three 1943 D, 1943, 1943 -S..I see it says Collectable ..that means not the real thing..I guess.

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by Erin33

[J P M]

In the past some coin company's cleaned polished and plated coins for retail.  Many people would buy these certified coins through magazines and TV advertisements never knowing that the coins are the same as almost any coin on the street just cleaned up with a fancy piece of paper. Everything on that paper is true to a point just not specifically pertaining to a individual coin .     

Edited October 7, 2023 by J P M

[Sandon]

     Mass marketers like "The American Heritage Mint" sold these 'reprocessed" plated 1943 steel cents to the general public because those with original surfaces looked like this after just a little time in circulation:

   This is a nicer example of an original circulated piece, grading XF-AU with no rust. The zinc coating has turned dark gray, and the coating has worn away from the high points such as Lincoln's cheek, exposing bare steel.  They are worth about fifty cents retail in this condition but are still more desirable to a knowledgeable collector than a piece with an artificial, plated surface.

[J P M]

I have some normal looking 1943 cents for you . I do have a couple of nice ones somewhere but this is what they look like unprotected and. well circulated 

[Mike Meenderink]

   Here's what they look  like in almost perfect condition. Not mirror like but satin silvery color(similar to a pewter silver coin) with a nice cartwheel.                                                                           

Edited October 8, 2023 by Mike Meenderink

[Erin33]

So I did find this and that looks like same color as mine. According to this article if I am reading correctly ..there is a off metal transitional error. Or am I reading wrong..

Edited October 10, 2023 by Erin33

[RWB]

On 10/7/2023 at 1:18 AM, Erin33 said:

So your telling me that heritage mint plated their coins?

They are just a bunch of scammers trying to get as much money from people as possible by selling carnival trinkets. If you have a repunched mintmark coin, plating it (aka "reprocessing" or "processing") ruined any collector value.

FYI -- There are no educational or experience requirements or qualifications for "Coin Dealer" "Professional" or whatever these jokers call themselves. Please got to a local coin club and coin shows to begin to get a "feel" for the real hobby and possibly begin learning about the indicators for scammers and honest coin sellers/buyers.

[cobymordet]

Erin, the coin referred to in the info you posted about the 1943 Bronze penny actually looks like the normal pennies, a bronze/copper brown color.  The picture included with the story shows the steel penny, not the bronze penny. 

All 1943 pennies were supposed to be the steel (silvery) color due to copper shortages during WWII.  The 1943 bronze pennies are very rare, not something too many people have.  Based on NGC census, it looks like about only (20) 1943 Bronze coins have been graded.  Unfortunately, the reprocessed 1943 steel pennies are rampant.

[Sandon]

   Erin--Do you have a current (2024) or recent edition of A Guide Book of United States Coins, commonly known as the "Redbook"? I asked you this question in one of your first topics and had forgotten that I hadn't received an answer. This essential resource for both new and more advanced collectors specifically discusses the extremely rare 1943 bronze cents that were presumably struck accidentally on leftover planchets, as well as the analogous 1944 cents struck on leftover zinc coated steel planchets (p. 116 of 2023 edition).  The following topics will direct you to this and other resources that are important for you to learn about coins and will answer many of your more basic questions.  (The second topic was also mentioned by @cobymordet in your "almost hole" topic.)

 

[Greenstang]

Erin33 or Peralta33 on the PCGS forum

Why are you asking on another forum if the coin is real?  
Nobody on this site has said that it is not genuine, even if it is plated,
it is still a genuine 1943 cent.

Edited October 10, 2023 by Greenstang

[The Neophyte Numismatist]

Duplicate post:

 

 

[Erin33]

On 10/10/2023 at 5:57 PM, Greenstang said:

Erin33 or Peralta33 on the PCGS forum

Why are you asking on another forum if the coin is real?  
Nobody on this site has said that it is not genuine, even if it is plated,
it is still a genuine 1943 cent.

My my my aren’t u a busybody….I really don’t need to explain my self.. a person with common sense would know why.

[cobymordet]

So, then, the better question to ask you is if you found other, better information on PCGS than NGC or if you found conflicting information between the sites.  So, inquiring mind would like to know. . . . Which site (PCGS or NGC) did you obtain more reliable/helpful information from?  Based on Greenstang's keen powers of duplicate observation, it seems that there may be some crossover.  I should try out PCGS.  My user name could be be Bob Schnabeloupolis.

[powermad5000]

If it were not plated, it would look more like the cent I post below, not shiny but an even greyish/sliverish color. I am not sure of any other way to describe it.