What causes this clad layer to just be gone? Have gotten mixed answers 1 1

[Blackmon0803]

It happened on this 2024 and I have a 2020 that 50 % is missing. Coins are in good shape. It looks gone in the middle of the zero in the date as well. 

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/10/2024 at 10:26 PM, Blackmon0803 said:

It happened on this 2024 and I have a 2020 that 50 % is missing. Coins are in good shape. It looks gone in the middle of the zero in the date as well. 

I guess lamination is gone?

[VKurtB]

These are not clad; they are plated. They arrive at the mint already cut into blanks, by a Tennessee firm.

[Sandon]

    I don't see any missing copper plating on this coin. The underlying zinc would be a whitish metallic or, if oxidized gray color. Some of the copper plating has become discolored or stained, but from what I can see it is all still there.

[Blackmon0803]

It is gone. That section of plating is completely missing. Up close it looks whitish. It looks like about a 30 percent section of the dating is missing. That includes the very start of Lincolns hairline as well as his eye, nose, and part of his mouth. 

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/10/2024 at 11:47 PM, Sandon said:

    I don't see any missing copper plating on this coin. The underlying zinc would be a whitish metallic or, if oxidized gray color. Some of the copper plating has become discolored or stained, but from what I can see it is all still there.

I will try to get a better photo

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/10/2024 at 11:47 PM, Sandon said:

    I don't see any missing copper plating on this coin. The underlying zinc would be a whitish metallic or, if oxidized gray color. Some of the copper plating has become discolored or stained, but from what I can see it is all still there.

I will try to get a better photo

[Blackmon0803]

Just wanted to try to give the best Pic. I appreciate the feedback and could definitely be wrong but that is what caught my eye was the whiteish appearance of that area. I appreciate the swift response. 

[powermad5000]

It is possible this is a plating issue with the plating's adherence to the zinc core, but I would not call this a lamination issue. The Mint early in the 80's and all the way into the late 2000's had issues with the plating on these zinc cents and problems took many forms all the way from plating bubbles, blisters, split plate doubling, liner plating bubbles, cracks, pitting, and yes, even some that had small sections of the plating crack and fall off. This latter issue was less common to the former issues, but it is not considered as an error but rather a production/quality control issue.

Despite the date of this cent, there are still some of this latter production (2010-present) that are struck and have issues with the plating. While some of the plating on your cent could have actually separated from the zinc core and not adhered as normal, it still would not be considered a mint error and would rather be a process issue as the Mint does not even produce these planchets for striking but buys them. You do now need to protect this cent as best as possible from this point because the zinc is highly reactive with the environment and corrosion will quickly spread on that area, penetrating into the zinc core and the cent will literally start to rot from the inside out, especially under the areas where the plating is still present. I would say a cardboard flip is not even appropriate to mitigate the zinc rot but this would need to be put into some kind of two half plastic clamshell type case either square or round.

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/11/2024 at 12:35 AM, powermad5000 said:

It is possible this is a plating issue with the plating's adherence to the zinc core, but I would not call this a lamination issue. The Mint early in the 80's and all the way into the late 2000's had issues with the plating on these zinc cents and problems took many forms all the way from plating bubbles, blisters, split plate doubling, liner plating bubbles, cracks, pitting, and yes, even some that had small sections of the plating crack and fall off. This latter issue was less common to the former issues, but it is not considered as an error but rather a production/quality control issue.

Despite the date of this cent, there are still some of this latter production (2010-present) that are struck and have issues with the plating. While some of the plating on your cent could have actually separated from the zinc core and not adhered as normal, it still would not be considered a mint error and would rather be a process issue as the Mint does not even produce these planchets for striking but buys them. You do now need to protect this cent as best as possible from this point because the zinc is highly reactive with the environment and corrosion will quickly spread on that area, penetrating into the zinc core and the cent will literally start to rot from the inside out, especially under the areas where the plating is still present. I would say a cardboard flip is not even appropriate to mitigate the zinc rot but this would need to be put into some kind of two half plastic clamshell type case either square or round.

Thanks guys for all responses. I will take that advice immediately. 

[Coinbuf]

It looks like a stained area to me, none of your photos like or even suggests that the area you are referring to is white.   It just looks like a different shade of red.

 

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/11/2024 at 10:37 AM, Coinbuf said:

It looks like a stained area to me, none of your photos like or even suggests that the area you are referring to is white.   It just looks like a different shade of red.

 

In that area it is not metallic at all. I have compared it to other 2024 and there is no metallic plating in that area. It looks like a chalky surface. You can see a clear line with the naked eye where the metallic plating stops. I will just put it in something to protect it from further damage just in case. I appreciate you guys very much. 

[Sandon]

On 7/11/2024 at 11:43 AM, Blackmon0803 said:

It looks like a chalky surface.

   That is because it is residue from something to which the coin was exposed and is on top of the copper plating. You might want to try soaking it in acetone or even rinsing it in water to see if it can be removed. It may have reacted with the copper to form a compound that can't be removed without damaging the coin, but from what I can see it is not something that occurred during the production process at the mint.

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/11/2024 at 10:54 AM, Sandon said:

   That is because it is residue from something to which the coin was exposed and is on top of the copper plating. You might want to try soaking it in acetone or even rinsing it in water to see if it can be removed. It may have reacted with the copper to form a compound that can't be removed without damaging the coin, but from what I can see it is not something that occurred during the production process at the mint.

I rinsed the coin using both methods you had mentioned prior to posting. No worries. Maybe I can get a clear photo with my scope. I have seen whitish residue stained on other coins and a simple rinse has always done the trick. With this coin however it looks exactly as it did originally after trying to clean. I had one the other day that had about 40 percent of the coin look white and chalky so I rinsed with Coca Cola as I would a battery terminal that is corroded and it came right off. As always I appreciate you guys being able to provide feedback and will take it all into consideration. I scoped it at like 500x magnification. It is after all a 2024 so I will just keep an eye out for potential plating issues and just go from there. I appreciate you guys very much. 

[Greenstang]

Without the coin in hand, it is hard to tell what it is but even if it was some plating issue, it would not be an error as that is the way the planchet would have arrived at the mint. With the billions of planchets produced, not everyone is going to be perfect. You could call it a defective planchet if you want to name it. Now if it happened after it was struck (such as a stain), then it would just be a damaged coin. If you want to keep it, it will only cost you a cent but there is no value in it above face.

[Blackmon0803]

On 7/11/2024 at 11:19 AM, Greenstang said:

Without the coin in hand, it is hard to tell what it is but even if it was some plating issue, it would not be an error as that is the way the planchet would have arrived at the mint. With the billions of planchets produced, not everyone is going to be perfect. You could call it a defective planchet if you want to name it. Now if it happened after it was struck (such as a stain), then it would just be a damaged coin. If you want to keep it, it will only cost you a cent but there is no value in it above face.

Lol. Agreed. I just thought it was pretty awkward and cool. I didn't see it as a major discovery. I will probably just protect it and keep it just as a personal little piece of my collection. I had a friend whom just found a can of really nice Wheaties after his sister passed. I was hoping probably 15 1955 last night along with probably 8 1909 all the way through 1958. She had a lot of wheat pennies. They are in good shape. I wish I was posting those pictures instead of this 2024. I am desperately trying to talk him out of those coins. He doesn't know what he has. Lol

[Henri Charriere]

Danny Downer here. Is it just me, or does anyone feel entirely too much band-width* has been squandered debating a matter which -- if there is any truth to the maxim, Time is Money -- has already cost every participant more than their fair share of pretty pennies?

Here's a proposition for the OP:  you promise me you will destroy that poor excuse of a coin and I will see if I can dig up a few Wheaties I would be honored to forward, at my expense, to you at a name and address of your choosing you can simply PM me. The nicer ones you can post on the Copper thread.

To quote "Silent" Cal going back 100 years, with that defect out of the way, let's make the business of America, business again.

*Courtesy of a former highly-revered and formidable adversary, Oldhoopster. May he R.I.P.

Edited July 11 by Henri Charriere
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