Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 12/25/2007

Question
I have a 2002 (D) Lincoln one cent that is silver in color.  I assume this is the zinc core and that it has not been copper coated.  Is that correct??  If so, what is it's approximate worth???   Thanks.

Answer
Hello, Jesse, actually, I would assume that the most likely explanation is that your cent was once coated, but that the coating was removed after minting.  Little boys like to experiment on all sorts of things, and coins are readily available and, in the case of cents, really not worth anything anyway.  Check your piece carefully to see if you don't see some small remnant of the copper coating.  You may want to try going to www.ebay.com and doing searches for things like: cent without coating, penny not coated, penny no copper coating and the like to see if something lie what you have is for sale and what is the asking price and what is being bid for it.  Jim Lawniczak