Massive strike-through on 1964-D Lincoln cent?

[pendragon1998]

Anyone able to give me an idea whether this is some kind of freaky strike-through error? The stuff on the back is metallic and completely joined to the coin's surface. I'm wondering if it's post-mint damage, though. I'd appreciate everyone's thoughts on it. Is it valuable or just neat?

 

[WoodenJefferson]

lead solder?

 

The copper composition would be very condusive for melding of the two metals.

 

If it is solder, it would be very soft. Easy to scratch to reveal a bight core...then again I may be way off base.

[pendragon1998]

I suspected it was solder. I gave it a small scratch with an exacto knife and it was bright underneath. Very soft stuff, already scratched multiple times. Thanks, WJ

[BillJones]

Sorry, this can't be something that came from the mint in those years. These coins were made of bronze and remained so until the early 1980s.

[pendragon1998]

I know they were made from bronze during the pre-82 years, but I was thinking of the possibility that some piece of metal found its way between the dies.

[nwcs]

What does it look like when you look at the edge of the area?

[pendragon1998]

It's pretty flat, but it is raised above the surface of the coin.

[nwcs]

How much of the design shows through the material?

[pendragon1998]

Not much. Some of the spaces between the columns can be discerned, as you can see in the photo.

[nwcs]

In that case it sure sounds like a metal fragment that got struck into the coin. Solder, as someone mentioned, sounds like a good bet. May be worth sending in and seeing what the professionals say. I know that a strike-thru with the item retained is worth a lot.

[AegisIII]

It was added post mint. That is clear because it rises above the surface of the rest of the coin. If it was a retained struck through, it would be level with the rest of the coin (or, if not, the rest of the reverse would have gotten an extremely weak strike if at all). Basically, you cannot have something above the surface where the die would be if it happened at the mint. Anything that is is something added post-strike. (Note that die cracks, die breaks &c occur where there was a gap or lack of a die and thus are not an exception.)

 

If you send it in to be slabbed, it will get boddybagged and you will have wasted your time and money.

[pendragon1998]

I'm tending to believe it was post-mint damage and I won't be submitting it. Thanks to everyone who helped me come to that conclusion!