KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 12, 2017 Been trying to figure this out for a decade or more 1974 penny, no mint mark, sticks to a magnet Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PerryHall 2,414 posts Report post Posted May 12, 2017 How much does it weigh? It may have been struck on a planchet intended for a foreign coin. I'm not sure if the US Mint was striking coins for a foreign country as they have done in the past. 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodenJefferson 24,958 posts Report post Posted May 13, 2017 Welcome, can the forum also get an image of the reverse, the flip side of this coin? 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conder101 8,360 posts Report post Posted May 13, 2017 (edited) How strong is the attraction? Does the coin "jump" to the magnet, or is it just enough to hold it there? Since it is silver in color I assume the attraction is slight. Edited May 13, 2017 by Conder101 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
BruceS 231 posts Report post Posted May 14, 2017 It does have a strange look to it. The rims look almost squared? I would be curious as to the weight also. 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodenJefferson 24,958 posts Report post Posted May 14, 2017 I for one would like to see the 74 cent on top of the other cent. It just appears to have a smaller O.D. but that might be an illusion due to the rims. I have a feeling this was some sort of token where the copper plating has come off or removed, I've seen some charms banks, savings and loans handed out, some with a slogans like "A penny saved..." etc. but the cents were facsimiles of real cents. 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bsshog40 17,043 posts Report post Posted May 15, 2017 If the copper was removed from this cent, wouldn't be very thin? I mean, it's 95% copper. 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodenJefferson 24,958 posts Report post Posted May 15, 2017 11 hours ago, bsshog40 said: If the copper was removed from this cent, wouldn't be very thin? I mean, it's 95% copper. My supposition is, that this look-a-like cent has some ferrous attractions to the magnet, possibly for a magic trick or a bank token where the cent was pressed into a slogan ring, IE, but the thin copper plating to make it appear as a real cent has been removed by whatever process. In other words, it's not a real Mint made cent of 95% copper, it's a fake cent. A 1974 Aluminum cent would not be attracted to a magnet, right? 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
DWLange 2,163 posts Report post Posted May 15, 2017 (edited) The Mint also made bronze-clad steel cents with that date in testing an alternative to the traditional bronze composition. These are the lesser known cousins to the 1974 aluminum cents. A specimen submitted to Coin World in 1994 weighed 2.77 grams and had a specific gravity of 7.9142. Obviously, these coins are attracted to a magnet. In answer to the question above, aluminum cents are not drawn to a magnet, as they are non-ferrous. Edited May 15, 2017 by DWLange 2 K.D. Lewis and KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 16, 2017 Hi, thanks for the replies. Sorry I wasn't back sooner. I only have a food scale, it is digital, it says it weighs 3 grams. As far as sticking to it, I will have to retry it to the magnet. Here is a photo of the back of it. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 16, 2017 Hi, thanks for the replies. Sorry I wasn't back sooner. I only have a food scale, it is digital, it says it weighs 3 grams. As far as sticking to it, I will have to retry it to the magnet. Here is a photo of the back of it and on top of each other, and next to each other. It was getting a clear photo close up with them on top of each other. Sorry if it is too blurry 1 VegasButler reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
WoodenJefferson 24,958 posts Report post Posted May 16, 2017 Thank you for putting up more images of this unusual cent...I shall ponder this more, because ut has some really wide rims. 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conder101 8,360 posts Report post Posted May 17, 2017 On the obv rim from 8:00 to 11:30 it looks like the copper is coming through. I predict attraction will be slight and the coin is nickel plated. (Nickel is highly magnetic, but the small amount in the plating means there just isn't enough material for the magnet to get a strong attraction.) 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buffalo_Pete 125 posts Report post Posted May 17, 2017 If the experts who viewed your coin in this post cannot conclusively say it was mint made, then it has to be a post-mint specially made coin. Whatever reason it was made is up to speculation. I feel that if it was a trick coin, it would not be that color because it would stand out from regular Cents. Why coat a Cent in conductive material is the real question. I'm curious myself, but can offer no conclusion. Wish I could. Pete Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 17, 2017 14 hours ago, Conder101 said: On the obv rim from 8:00 to 11:30 it looks like the copper is coming through. I predict attraction will be slight and the coin is nickel plated. (Nickel is highly magnetic, but the small amount in the plating means there just isn't enough material for the magnet to get a strong attraction.) It gets a very strong attraction. I will get a video of it sticking to a magnet in a couple hours. Thank You for helping me. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 17, 2017 3 hours ago, Buffalo_Pete said: If the experts who viewed your coin in this post cannot conclusively say it was mint made, then it has to be a post-mint specially made coin. Whatever reason it was made is up to speculation. I feel that if it was a trick coin, it would not be that color because it would stand out from regular Cents. Why coat a Cent in conductive material is the real question. I'm curious myself, but can offer no conclusion. Wish I could. Pete thank you, I am going to post a video (or a link to a youtube if I can't post videos on here) of it sticking to the magnet. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Conder101 8,360 posts Report post Posted May 17, 2017 Strong attraction all over or just at the rims? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 17, 2017 I believe it is all over it, but, I don't know how to really test that theory to know for sure. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VPhillips 209 posts Report post Posted May 20, 2017 Very interesting find! 1 KaraMarie reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 20, 2017 It was my husbands mothers, and I have had it for well over a decade now.. I have researched it, but, just can't figure it lol. I wish it was one of those alum pennies (don't we all wish we had one of those) I think from the comments it seems like the bronze clad steel penny. It is likely his mother had it for many years before she passed, she had it hidden away in a container where no one could find it (but we did) =) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RWB 11,880 posts Report post Posted May 21, 2017 (edited) The obvious course is to send it to NGC for examination. Before that, however, look for another 1974 cent. when you find one. Weigh each separately, then put them on a flat surface where you can see the edge. Use a magnifier to determine: 1) are they identical in thickness; 2) does the edge look identical on each or is your "steel 1974" slightly rounded, and; 3) are the rims identical or is your "steel 1974" slightly rounded? You piece should look identical in all respects except color to the normal 1974. If there is rounding, it is likely the coin was used in costume jewelry and the rim/edge is actually a thin steel bezel. A steel bezel allowed quick spot tacking to other parts of the jewelry which the ordinary bronze/brass cent alloy would not. A normal 1974 cent will weigh 3.11 grams (or 48 grains Troy). Edited May 22, 2017 by RWB 2 KaraMarie and rrantique reacted to this Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted May 21, 2017 Thank You, I will see what I can find out by following your advice. Thanks again Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
VegasButler 10 posts Report post Posted June 2, 2017 (edited) Seems that the 1974 Bronze Cent is Magnetic I have followed your suggestion and thank you it helps me clearly. Happy to know and see what you think about this 1974 Cent Edited June 8, 2017 by VegasButler Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
KaraMarie 9 posts Report post Posted June 2, 2017 It is strange, mine is like the color of pewter/silver. I probably should send it in and unravel this little mystery. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Synagod 1 post Report post Posted February 20, 2018 I have a 1974 penny similar to the one described. The one on the left in pic with 2 pennies. It appears to have a finish on it that has chipped in places when looked at in a loop. Has anyone figured out these coins yet? Gold in color Lightly magnetic mostly around the edge weight: 3.118 grams Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
