1945 Silver Penny?? Help 0

[ap0407-migration]

I am sorting threw my grandfathers coin collection and I stumbled upon a 1945 penny that has silver all over it. I can not tell if it is something that is spray painted or if it has been coated silver. I tried to rub it off but it is silver all the way threw even the the edges. Any suggestions on how I could test to see if it is silver? Sorry if this is a dumb question I just have never seen this before.

 

 

Thanks

[Stanley]

I am sorting threw my grandfathers coin collection and I stumbled upon a 1945 penny that has silver all over it. I can not tell if it is something that is spray painted or if it has been coated silver. I tried to rub it off but it is silver all the way threw even the the edges. Any suggestions on how I could test to see if it is silver? Sorry if this is a dumb question I just have never seen this before.

 

 

Thanks

Welcome

Your question is not dumb but rubbing a coin could ruin any value it may have. Based on your images and description that is all the help I can provide for you. I’m sure others will chime in.

 

[MBA101]

The pics make it look like severe copper corrosion.

 

Could also be electroplated.

 

Pretty certain that there is no such thing as a silver penny.

[Conder101]

First step check the weight. If it weighs 3 to 3.1 grams it is plated copper. If it weighs 2.5 grams then it is probably struck on a silver dime planchet. Don't get your hopes up though. Cents on silver dime planchets are very rare, and their smaller size will normally result in weak rims on the coin. But yours has nice strong sharp rims. Odds are about 99.99999 to 1 that it is plated.

 

As for trying to rub it and wear through the plating. Take a current cent and see how long it takes with your fingers to rub and wear through the .0002 inch copper plating on it. (That is two ten thousandths of an inch thick layer of copper.)

[James_OldeTowne]

My guess is that the coin has been plated or treated with mercury, and subsequently circulated.

[jesbroken]

Welcome to the forum, ap.

When I was a kid everyone carried one of these. We called them mercents. They were made by coating them with mercury. I haven't thought of or seen one of them in 40 or so years until your post.

[bsshog40]

This thing looks like it has some sort of film on it to me. There's really not much value to the year, so maybe soaking it in some olive oil or even a quick dip may remove what is on it.

[Revenant]

Reminds me of this beauty I found once, only it's a 1910. Mine I honestly think is a case of silver-plating though. Yours... I'm not so sure on.

[TavernTreasures-migration]

Left over steel cent planchet from 1943?

[RUSS BEGA]

Left over steel cent planchet from 1943?

 

highly doubt it only 1944 steel cents have been found no 45's

[Darren85]

I found a 1945 penny the is silver in color but does not register to a magnet I have heard (from only one person) that some people would make pennies from Artillery shells but I’m not sure about that. 

[Just Bob]

Welcome to the forum.

Actually, there were some cents made from shell casings,  but those were brass. Your cent appears to have been plated after it left the mint. If you have access to scales, it should weigh around 3.1 grams.

[Amie675]

I have found the same thing.  Took it to a coin shop, guy said it was plated over with silver. Said it wasn't worth keeping

[Amie675]

[Greenstang]

You can keep it as a novelty coin but there is no extra value to it.

[Herbert schwentner]

On 10/21/2019 at 4:16 PM, Greenstang said:

You can keep it as a novelty coin but there is no extra value to it.

I have one its 57.30 percent nickle anr the rest copper had it tested with a gun that shows metal contents 

 

[Herbert schwentner]

On 8/30/2007 at 7:56 AM, MBA101 said:

The pics make it look like severe copper corrosion.

 

Could also be electroplated.

 

Pretty certain that there is no such thing as a silver penny.

I have a 1945 D its 57.30 % nickle any help or info would be so helpful

 

[Wondering]

I have a 1.88 gram 1945 it seems to be made of a cyclonite gaine from WW2, however I looked up the round on this " 

49 minutes ago, Herbert schwentner said:

I have a 1945 D its 57.30 % nickle any help or info would be so helpful

 

https://books.google.com/books?id=WoS-BAAAQBAJ&pg=PA20&lpg=PA20&dq=1.8+gram+cyclonite&source=bl&ots=XPABUQrhmO&sig=ACfU3U0-INzcXcCzzOR2cwOYjBhOpTM4SA&hl=en&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjyk4bDu7vnAhUUIDQIHc8IDZoQ6AEwAnoECAkQAQ#v=onepage&q=1.8 gram cyclonite&f=false

[Just Bob]

6 minutes ago, Wondering said:

I have a 1.88 gram 1945 it seems to be made of a cyclonite gaine from WW2, however I looked up the round on this " 

 

Cyclonite is a high explosive made from hexamine, and is also known as RDX. I sort of doubt your coin is made from that.

[Wondering]

Stay Awesome! Enjoy the Hobby because this one they tell me is worth 3 cents. Other things I consider specimens and rare others have called a many of things. I have some 1953's that are like your 1945 and they are still collectible. Put it this way when you find the good stuff from change and coin roll hunt it's a thrill. I hope that site in the quotations help's you see what kind of rounds that got turned into pennies could be out their! Happy coin roll hunting and best of Luck too You.

  

[Wondering]

ETD Test is what I respectfully Request but I ain't got no one to say yes yet! It's the metal cap it says but the test would help to proof my case. 

[kbbpll]

 

2 hours ago, Wondering said:

seems to be made of a cyclonite gaine from WW2

You seem to be implying that your cent was made from a specific shell casing. I hope you realize that they melted all that stuff down and mixed it with copper to produce coin planchets, it would be impossible to determine which ordinance ended up in any specific coin, and they made billions of these.

[Wondering]

So how did obtain the weight of 1.88 grams? A good test would be extensive but thorough an ETD a weight test and a die diagnostic! The question really is what is it? Is it a thin cent, was it a blasting cap and furthermore when was it used as one and did it blow up Hitler? 

[Just Bob]

Just now, Herbert schwentner said:

I have one its 57.30 percent nickle anr the rest copper had it tested with a gun that shows metal contents 

 

Can you post a picture of your coin? And can you provide the weight in grams? 

[Wondering]

Thanks for asking I would love to. Here's the two pictures one on the scale and one enlarged.

[Conder101]

21 hours ago, Herbert schwentner said:

I have one its 57.30 percent nickle anr the rest copper had it tested with a gun that shows metal contents 

That means it is nickel plated.  The gun doesn't penetrate into the surface very far, just roughly twice the thickness of the plating.  So it is reading the nickel, and about the same thickness of the copper underneath and you are getting a reading that is close to 50/50

 

I can't tell if the 1.88 gram 1945 is acid etched or just on a thin planchet.  The surfaces seem very smooth for an etched piece, but the rims seem to be almost missing which makes it seem to be acid.

[RWB]

On 5/9/2019 at 6:36 PM, Just Bob said:

Welcome to the forum.

Actually, there were some cents made from shell casings,  but those were brass. Your cent appears to have been plated after it left the mint. If you have access to scales, it should weigh around 3.1 grams.

Coins were not made directly from recycled brass shell casings. The melted casings were used as a base to which copper and a trace of tin were added to bring the alloy up to normal coinage specifications. The coins are identical to cents made after May 1942 to the end of that year.

[Just Bob]

19 minutes ago, RWB said:

Coins were not made directly from recycled brass shell casings. The melted casings were used as a base to which copper and a trace of tin were added to bring the alloy up to normal coinage specifications. The coins are identical to cents made after May 1942 to the end of that year.

Yeah, I probably should have done a better job of explaining that. The way I described it makes it sound like they melted empty hulls in a ladle and poured into a mold to make a cent, much like Mel Gibson's character making ammo  in the movie  "The Patriot."

[Wondering]

A lot of cool things were made in 1942 the US was not in the thick of it yet but prior prep of making alot of things were being done check this page out. It gives an example of a coin being made. 

 

[Wondering]

Sorry about that I hit the wrong image It talks about coins made after the date to support the collectors