Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 1/28/2008

Question
QUESTION: I have a penny that appears to be a genuine penny.  It is silver in appearance, dated 1989 and has a gift package stamped into the coin above the date.  Is this a real penny and why is it minted this way?

ANSWER: Arlene, can't tell without seeing the piece, but it sounds like you have a novelty item, where someone stamped something into the cent after it was minted.  A silver colored cent would either be plated with a silver material after minting; or might have its copper coating removed exposing the zinc underneath (zinc is a silverish color); or it might be that the cent was struck on a dime planchet, but in that case what you have would be dime sized and not cent sized.  Only the last example would be a natural mint product, Jim Lawniczak

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Jim, thanks for answering my question.  I have scanned the penny on both sides and I will attach the image of the front of the coin first. Maybe we can take it from there.

Answer
Arlene, yes I see the "gift package" stamped into the cent.  There were a series of novelty cents made where various things were stamped into the cent after it was minted, such as the maps of the 50 states, a picture of Kennedy and a pipe.  This is the first I've seen of a gift package.  These sold as novelty items for 99 cents or so, and really have little to no resale value.  You might try going to www.ebay.com and doing a search for stamped cent or stamped penny and seeing if some of these novelty items are for sale and what they are selling for.  I can't really see the color of the piece from your scan, but as to color, I stand by my original discussion as to either plating added or plating removed, Jim Lawniczak