Post mint damage? 1 1

[BBadke]

I have a penny that has damage. I sent a picture to some authority on the subject who told me is was definitely damaged post mint. Ok. I'm a rookie. What do I know? Even more so, what do you know? 

There are holes on each side of the penny. They just don't go all the way through. Sorry these are the best pics I have.

[dprince1138]

Looks like it got the terminator 2 treatment.

Perhaps it was dropped onto an engine or tossed onto a burning coal or held over a torch or was in a house fire or was used in a fuse box. 

Copper's melting point is fairly low (1,085 C)

"Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity."

[Lem E]

Definitely damage. 

[Sandon]

   Welcome to the NGC chat board.'

   The authority you consulted is correct. This now dateless cent has been severely damaged and is worth face value.

   If you thought that this coin was a "mint error", please understand that a mint error is a coin that exhibits a major anomaly due to something that went awry during the manufacturing process. There are only a limited number of causes for mint errors, while the types of misfortunes that can befall a coin once it is in circulation are infinite. This coin does not exhibit any known form of mint error.  If you want to learn more about mint errors or other numismatic topics, please let us know, and we can direct you to appropriate resources.    

[EagleRJO]

I have not seen or heard of anything like that, but there is the appearance of outer cladding loss with charing in spots including two large areas on the obverse.  A guess would be some type of fire damage.  I don't see any severe overall heat damage or blistering, although there are some signs of excessive heat exposure.  So maybe some embers from a fire dropped on the coin or visa versa as it appears on both sides.

But I think the important part is I agree it wouldn't be something that could occur at the mint.  What did the expert opine likely caused the damage?

Edited November 5, 2023 by EagleRJO

[powermad5000]

I would agree there was something with a level of heat involved to make the coin look this way. It is evident on the reverse as well to a lesser degree (pun intended). Being whatever it was on the surface ate into the actual core of the planchet and the black coloration in the pits says "fire" and not "acid" or simple "corrosion" imho. This is definitely not a mint error but is severe physical damage. As there could be many ways for this to happen as well as it would be difficult to determine if this happened accidentally or intentionally may never be known except to the individual who did the damage or recovered the coin from the damage happening. Typically, in these cases, it is not worth the effort trying to figure out how these damage coins came to be except for a handful of them where peculiar conditions cause one to wonder just how the condition came to be.

I would say for this cent it is safe to say it is extremely damaged and leave it at that.

[cobymordet]

I think we may be failing to consider how the coin feels.  This poor coin has been thrust upon a pedestal for the world to see, naked and afraid.  As if the post mint traumatic damage wasn't enough to handle.  Now this poor coin must endure a thorough inspection and disquisition of its core being exposed.  For shame cruel world for shame!           

[Hoghead515]

Looks like someone was playing with a torch. Maybe a brazing tip or something. Seeing if they could melt holes in a cent. Dont know if thats what happend but looks like it to me.

[EagleRJO]

On 11/5/2023 at 7:22 AM, Hoghead515 said:

Looks like someone was playing with a torch. Maybe a brazing tip or something. Seeing if they could melt holes in a cent.

Maybe with the large plating holes, but then there are the smaller charred spots like at the rim and the memorial on the reverse.  Also, it looks too random to be intentional.