chris421649 Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Ive come across a 1943 one cent that looks to have been silvered. Has anyone come across one before. I know very little about American coins but I cannot understand why anyone would go to the trouble of doing this as it could hardly be passed off as a high value coin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted April 12, 2009 Report Share Posted April 12, 2009 Ive come across a 1943 one cent that looks to have been silvered. Has anyone come across one before. I know very little about American coins but I cannot understand why anyone would go to the trouble of doing this as it could hardly be passed off as a high value coin. Chances are it's a 1943 zinc coin! Nothing special at all actually! During the war, the US transferred the copper used for its cents to the war effort and replaced them with zinc-coated steel cents. They didn't last long because the public mixed them up with dimes. In fact, every now and then you see a 1943 copper cent at auction - those are some of the most famous US error coins. And similarly, you'll see a 1944 steel cent as a prized coin too! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jtryka Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 There was confusion with dimes, but there was also the rust problem when the zinc plating was scratched or worn off, unlike modern copper-plated zinc cents, these were zinc-plated steel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 There was confusion with dimes, but there was also the rust problem when the zinc plating was scratched or worn off, unlike modern copper-plated zinc cents, these were zinc-plated steel. Thanks for adding that, Jeff. I was going to mention it but I wondered how much the rust was a factor in changing the composition back to mostly copper. Do you think the cents would have shown a lot of rust after a year's circulation? Probably. But I'd still like to know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven_2b1ask1 Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Ive come across a 1943 one cent that looks to have been silvered. Many of the 1943 one cent pieces were re-processed, plated with a shiny new looking appearance however in hand they are easily determined to be re-processed. There may be a purple-ish tint to them, they may have been re-plated over rust, dirt, corrosion etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris421649 Posted April 13, 2009 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Thanks for the information Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just carl Posted April 13, 2009 Report Share Posted April 13, 2009 Many of the 1943 one cent pieces were re-processed, plated with a shiny new looking appearance however in hand they are easily determined to be re-processed. There may be a purple-ish tint to them, they may have been re-plated over rust, dirt, corrosion etc. Not completely true as to the color though. Yes many, many have been what is known as reprocessed. However, the method varies considerably. Some Chrome plate them, some Zinc plate them, Some have actually Silver Plated them. There are other ones that appear to be waxed or polished with an actual auto wax. People have buffed them with a Dremel type buffing wheel. I presently have over 30 rolls of those 1943 cents (pennies). I only lately have been sorting out the reprocessed ones and hopefully could make a complete roll of them. So far I've never been able to find out who, why or where these coins are being redone. It would seam to me that the process to make a coin worth $0.25 or less would in itself cost more than the coin. But then don't we all usually do things like that???????? OOOPPs. Forgot some people Copper plate them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhut1000 Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Just a note on zinc to copper 1943 cents: When rubbed with a certain chemical/acid the little bit of copper in the coin will raise to the surface and appear to be a copper 1943 penny! I know because I did this years ago to see if it actually works. It did. Sorry that I can't remember the acid used. (NO, I didn't sell it as a genuine 43 copper coin!) Of course you know to tell the difference is to simply weigh it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just carl Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Just a note on zinc to copper 1943 cents: When rubbed with a certain chemical/acid the little bit of copper in the coin will raise to the surface and appear to be a copper 1943 penny! I know because I did this years ago to see if it actually works. It did. Sorry that I can't remember the acid used. (NO, I didn't sell it as a genuine 43 copper coin!) Of course you know to tell the difference is to simply weigh it. Not exactly sure what you did but what you discribe is highly improbably. The 1943 Cent is made of ALL Steel and coated, actually plated, with Zinc. The process used is similar to what is done on chain link fences only it is commercially noted as Galvanized. The insides of those coins is just Steel, no Copper used to make them at all. There is absolutely no way that any acid can make Copper raise to the surface if there is no Copper to begin with. Also, there is no need to weigh those coins since they are of a type of Steel that is attracted to a magnet. Just take any magnet and place near the coin and it will jupt to the magnet. If for some fantastic reason what you did actually did bring Copper up, you had a really expensive coin there. It may well have been one of the rare Copper ones and someone plated it with Zinc or it got Zinc plated at the Mint. Regardless, if real, you POSSIBLY distroyed a coin worth many thousands of dollars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted April 21, 2009 Report Share Posted April 21, 2009 Not exactly sure what you did but what you discribe is highly improbably. The 1943 Cent is made of ALL Steel and coated, actually plated, with Zinc. The process used is similar to what is done on chain link fences only it is commercially noted as Galvanized. The insides of those coins is just Steel, no Copper used to make them at all. There is absolutely no way that any acid can make Copper raise to the surface if there is no Copper to begin with. Also, there is no need to weigh those coins since they are of a type of Steel that is attracted to a magnet. Just take any magnet and place near the coin and it will jupt to the magnet. If for some fantastic reason what you did actually did bring Copper up, you had a really expensive coin there. It may well have been one of the rare Copper ones and someone plated it with Zinc or it got Zinc plated at the Mint. Regardless, if real, you POSSIBLY distroyed a coin worth many thousands of dollars. This is the first time I've heard of a copper coin plated with Zinc. Was the plating done after strike? I presume before and such a planchet would be near impossible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhut1000 Posted April 22, 2009 Report Share Posted April 22, 2009 This is the first time I've heard of a copper coin plated with Zinc. Was the plating done after strike? I presume before and such a planchet would be near impossible. Hi all...looks like I got things stirred up......I didn't intend to, but have due to my ignorance. Sorry for all that. It was indeed a plain ol' zinc penny. I remember now that the acid I used was coppernitrate which when rubbed on on the zinc, allows the zinc to separate the copper out of solution depositing it on the zinc's surface. Did you know that you can make a copper coin look like silver & then gold? Discovered by the Alchemists of the Middle Ages. Have fun on this wonderful site!! Mud Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just carl Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 This is the first time I've heard of a copper coin plated with Zinc. Was the plating done after strike? I presume before and such a planchet would be near impossible. You just have to look around a little more on coin web sites. People plate and/or coat pennies (cents for the sensitive to terminology) with almost anything. They show up in change coated or plated with Chrome, Zinc, Tin, Silver, Gold and on and on and on. Many have been stamped with another presidens face next to Lincoln, emblems stamped on them from organizations, individuals initials, flattened in machines for bracelets, put in plastic for decorations. I've even seen a toilet seat of clear plastic with pennies inside. All these are done naturally after the coins are minted by almost anyone that thinks of what to do or how to do it. The only thing I haven't seen yet coated or plated on our coins is Radium or Plutonium. Now that would be a good idea. Then when you dropped a coin in the dark, there would be no problem finding them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vfox Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 The only thing I haven't seen yet coated or plated on our coins is Radium or Plutonium. Now that would be a good idea. Then when you dropped a coin in the dark, there would be no problem finding them. The likely cause of you dropping the coin in the first place would be that your hand just sluffed off onto the ground with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thedeadpoint Posted April 24, 2009 Report Share Posted April 24, 2009 Well, at what point was the zinc plating done for authentic 1943 steel cents? Pre-strike, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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