What happened here? 1 1

[Rick621]

Found this badly damaged 1996 D LMC. I noticed something odd about it...it's larger than a regular penny. It weighs 2.48 grams so it's/could be a zinc cent. At first I thought that it was a counterfeit cent, but then I thought, "Why would someone counterfeit a 1996 D LMC?" 

Any opinions? 

[Oldhoopster]

If you take a cent and pound it between 2 pieces of leather, you'll achieve that effect.  Sometimes they're called Texas Cents because they're bigger.  This occurred after it left the mint, so it's PMD

[Greenstang]

Agree with Texas Cent (Because everything is bigger in Texas)

We have seen several of these on here.  They are considered damage so no premium.

[Just Bob]

That was my first thought, as well. The leather could have also contributed to the dark color. 

[Rick621]

Thanks guys. I knew it was PMD and I knew there was no value, I was just wondering how and why someone would do this.

Never thought of two pieces of leather and a hammer.

Thanks again for your input...I gain a little more knowledge every day. 

[VKurtB]

There is literally NOTHING some people won’t do to mess with coins, especially small denomination ones. 

[Henri Charriere]

[I am painfully aware it is considered bad form to inquire but there is still that mischievous part of me that would like to know upon whose experience this observation relied on.  To be blunt... who posted a comment based on direct personal experience and who was relating a comment heard second-hand anecdotally?

[Oldhoopster]

1 hour ago, Quintus Arrius said:

[I am painfully aware it is considered bad form to inquire but there is still that mischievous part of me that would like to know upon whose experience this observation relied on.  To be blunt... who posted a comment based on direct personal experience and who was relating a comment heard second-hand anecdotally?

The characteristics of this type of deformation have been posted numerous times upon many coin forums.  While I have never performed the actual experiment, the explanation makes a lot of sense.  The coins have a larger diameter than a normal cent and appear to be missing the copper plating.  

If you believe this isn't post mint damage, why don't  you propose a theory on what part of the minting process could produce such an error.  If you do agree that it's damaged but think it was caused by some other method, that's ok.  Since there are so many ways for damage to occur, I tend to avoid debates on what caused the damage.  IMO, as long as I'm convinced it couldn't occur at the mint, it doesn't really matter what caused the damage.  

Maybe you could try to make one and add to the body of knowledge.  It would make a great post.

[Henri Charriere]

7 minutes ago, Oldhoopster said:

The characteristics of this type of deformation have been posted numerous times upon many coin forums.  While I have never performed the actual experiment, the explanation makes a lot of sense.  The coins have a larger diameter than a normal cent and appear to be missing the copper plating.  

I don't suppose anyone here is interested in knowing why the Hindenburg zeppelin burned and crashed at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey or why the Trade Towers fell, or why the dinosaurs became extinct, but none had anything to do with the Mint. Fair enough.

What I would like to know, is to what end are cents with larger diameters and missing their copper plating made and used? What is their purpose or practical application? Why? That's all. Unless I know that, I have nothing to add to the "body of knowledge" you reference.

[Oldhoopster]

8 hours ago, Quintus Arrius said:

I don't suppose anyone here is interested in knowing why the Hindenburg zeppelin burned and crashed at NAS Lakehurst, New Jersey or why the Trade Towers fell, or why the dinosaurs became extinct, but none had anything to do with the Mint. Fair enough.

What I would like to know, is to what end are cents with larger diameters and missing their copper plating made and used? What is their purpose or practical application? Why? That's all. Unless I know that, I have nothing to add to the "body of knowledge" you reference.

I originally interpreted your question as "I don't understand how this damage could occur, so I still think it's an error".

Thanks for the clarification. 

[Greenstang]

Quote

What I would like to know, is to what end are cents with larger diameters and missing their copper plating made and used? What is their purpose or practical application? Why? That's all. Unless I know that, I have nothing to add to the "body of knowledge" you reference.

 

Is it any different from someone squeezing two coins in a vise, heating a coin to create a bubble or milling the devises off a coin?

Who knows why people do what they do. I know that some try to create an "error"  coin to resell but other than that I would probably say they do it because they can.

[Henri Charriere]

[Comment voluntarily withdrawn.  If you, or someone you know, knows, and would not mind subjecting yourself to an intense, somewhat intrusive, interview (interrogation) regarding The Mystery of the Enlarged Cent, feel free to drop me a line via PM.]

Two lengths of leather and a hammer... just when you thought you've heard everything.

[Conder101]

On 5/1/2021 at 10:34 PM, Quintus Arrius said:

What I would like to know, is to what end are cents with larger diameters and missing their copper plating made and used? What is their purpose or practical application?

Simple answer is Novelty.  Having a cent that is perfectly proportioned but larger than the regular cent. (A centered broadstrike can also be larger in diameter but it doesn't enlarge the design.)  Texas cents have been around for a LONG time.  Well before the copper plated zinc cents.  Removing the plating isn't intentional, it just happens when you enlarge a zincoln.  Enlarging doesn't affect a copper cent the same way.  I have seen the same thing done to nickels, enlarging them to the size of quarters or more.  

While I haven't done it myself I have seen the results of others attempting it and it does take some practice to enlarge it evenly.  The thing is the blows have to be perpendicular to the plane of the faces and they should be centered so the expansion is even.