2003 penny discoloration
2003 penny discoloration
Can anyone explain this penny discoloration?
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Bill in Burl
- Posts: 1487
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:41 am
- Location: Golden Horseshoe, ONT
Re: 2003 penny discoloration
Is it raised or recessed? It looks like someone plated it, either electro or dipping, and it has partially worn off.
Bill in Burl
Re: 2003 penny discoloration
The brown color is actually over the silver color, it seems that the brown color has been wearing off. Hope this makes sense...
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Bill in Burl
- Posts: 1487
- Joined: Thu Sep 04, 2008 7:41 am
- Location: Golden Horseshoe, ONT
Re: 2003 penny discoloration
From 1997 through 2006, the Mint used copper-plated zinc planchets, then started experimenting with copper-plated steel planchets; Since then, you find lots of discussions about magnetic and non-magnetis coins of various denominations... zinc being non-magnetis (as is bronze or copper) and steel being magnetic.
What you have is a normal 2003 one cent that has the copper plating flaking off and the zinc core showing through. The mint evidently didn't get the "plating" portion of the process done right. Although, I've not seen a coin like yours, I think that it would be very common .. you would have to ask a small cent collector or roll-hunter. To put it kindly, if the Mint actually had to sell their finished products on the open commercial market, they would go bankrupt due to product quality and quality control for their circulating coinage.
What you have is a normal 2003 one cent that has the copper plating flaking off and the zinc core showing through. The mint evidently didn't get the "plating" portion of the process done right. Although, I've not seen a coin like yours, I think that it would be very common .. you would have to ask a small cent collector or roll-hunter. To put it kindly, if the Mint actually had to sell their finished products on the open commercial market, they would go bankrupt due to product quality and quality control for their circulating coinage.
Bill in Burl