Identification Help

[davebur1942]

I recently received this penny in the change for a purchase. It appears to be zinc with no copper coating. Of course the first reaction will be that the chopper has been removed with chemicals. I don't believe that is the case here. The penny is a 1983-D and it is larger than a normal penny. See photos with a normal penny beside it for comparison. The letters and images are crisp and not deformed. Anyone have an idea on this?

[Daniel]

This isn't a normal missing copper plating cent, it looks counterfeit or damaged but not a mint error. Unplated cents look like this https://coins.ha.com/itm/errors/1989-d- ... ail-071515

[pocketchange]

Why would an unplated 1989 Zincoln that was graded MS64 by ANA not have any cartwheel luster?

[Daniel]

Because it is zinc and zinc is not a very reflective metal.

[pocketchange]

That seems right, but I remember the shiny 1943 zinc-coated steel cents. Hmmm?

[Daniel]

I have seen those as well but not with a cartwheel like a silver dollar, at least. Also the zinc turns gray after a while so being exposed would dull the luster.

[dipper13]

That coin is not round, had to be squeezed by something that made it oval. Did not happen at the mint, for sure.

[dd27]

That seems right, but I remember the shiny 1943 zinc-coated steel cents. Hmmm?

As you probably know, a lot of the shiny '43 steel cents for sale on eBay or elsewhere are reprocessed coins coated with chrome. I wrote a little article about the topic, an 'eBay Guide': Reprocessed 1943 Steel Lincoln Cents.

In fact, I couldn't remember the URL for the article so I searched Google for 'reprocessed Lincoln cents' and noticed an advert from Littleton Coin Company--they're selling reprocessed 1943 steel cents for $1.30 each, which is actually pretty reasonable, particularly since they identify them as 'reprocessed' (although they don't explain what that means).

~ Mark

P.S. I have no affiliation with Littleton Coin Company. Most of their coins are overpriced IMHO, but I did appreciate that they're not trying to sell the reprocessed steel cents as "brilliant uncirculated" or the like, which many folks seem to do.