Expert: PAPAJACK - 12/16/2006

Question
I have a penny that's blank on one side (no face, so no date). It seems a little thin (with no lip on the blank side), so maybe it's been polished down or something, but there are no residual impressions on the blank side (to the naked eye anyway... how far would you have to polish down to get rid of that?). I read your answer to another question about a one-sided coin that has only the face (I assume the face, since the date was known), pointing out that it would be an odd error -- if it were an error -- since it would somehow have to be struck on only one side. I don't know much about the minting process, but is there a chance that two coins could have been struck back-to-back (if one were thinner), leaving these two odd coins? It seems like there'd be some sort of thin flashing if that were the case.

Answer
I do know nothing is impossible. So you could be right.
The Anvil or bottom die is stationary below the collar that holds the loaded one cent blank.
The coins are fed into the collar very fast after the raised edge is (rim) imparted to the blank. If two blanks were stuck together it should not have gone into the feeder mechanism.
If a cent was stuck on the anvil die when the Hammer die came down it would have spread the coin (broad struck) since it was not held in the collar. All I have seen are made off center and have a depressed image of the coin that was stuck on the anvil die.

As for polishing the design off, Modern cents are only copper coated although the design may only be .010 inch hi and easy to remove it would expose the zinc core. So if this was done it would have to be a pre 1982 cent.

Sorry I cannot be more help. The Item would have to be seen to be accurately appraised. A photograph would not really help with this. If you write back with the general location (nearest large cities) and telephone area code or codes and some zip codes in your area, I can direct you to an AMERICAN NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION MEMBER/DEALER near there. They are ethical and trustworthy.

Or there is help at most large coin shows. There are representatives from the grading services. ANACS service even some smaller shows. They give free consultations on coins at their table. If you need to find a show or an error coin authenticator in your area just write me again.

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Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack