Expert: PAPAJACK - 9/23/2008

Question
I have a 1958 silver Lincoln penny that I found as a child.  I've done searches to explain it, but have found no answers.  It is silver colored, 1958 D, the edges look unfinished, it has the wheat backside, it does not stick to a magnet.  Unless there is known story behind it, I will just continue to assume that it is an interesting counterfeit.  Any ideas? -Thank you.

Answer
Hello Trinity,                

I see these from time to time. It is likely just a novelty or collectors item. The US Mint did not strike it like this. Perhaps a company altered it from a normal cent for a good luck piece.

This was the last year they made the Wheat-Back Lincoln Cent.

For testing, first check the specifications on the coin. 3.11 grams and 19mm round diameter. If it is anything else and we don’t have a cent blank used here.

If your cent is the correct size, and the weight of a normal One Cent coin there are a few possibilities.

It may be polished after the coin left the mint. With certain polishing mediums a silver look can be achieved. I have even seen cents cleaned in silver cleaners that change their color to silverfish hues.

Or it was more probably plated with nickel or chrome. Copper takes plating well but if you magnify the (fillet’s) area where the raised lettering meets the flat background field you will often find a build-up of the plating material.

Things like this are worthless to true coin collectors. Most coin shops and all coin Shows Large or small will have people knowledgeable enough to identify this piece for you at no charge.

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Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack