Expert: Cameron Kiefer - 9/9/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hello.I have a SOLID SILVER PENNY DATED 1972 FROM THE DENVER MINT.  Yes, I had it authenicated in St. Louis at a Coin Dealership.  The man wanted to purchase it (in an agressive way) - that is when my husband and I realized we have something of worth.  It is in excellent shape, my husband saved it in his childhood stuff, and I recently re-discovered it.  I asked him about it and he said he kept it as a kid because it was so unusual.  Now, back to the man at the coin dealership, he stated that it was probably struck on a silver plate by accident while making coins for Foreign Countries.  This sounded reasonable to me... but I am not certain.  I would like to believe we have something no one else has.  It was determined that this is not a coating, it is solid.  A magnet will not pick it up (he said that is some type of test.)  Please help me with this magnificent penny... I would love to know more...Thanks so much, please reply if you want our phone number to speak about this coin.  Sincerely, Gary & Nancy

ANSWER: Gary,

In order to tell if it is genuine or fake, you would need to send it in to one of the tiop grading services.  They would authenticate it, grade it and put it in a tamper proof holder.  The grading services are:

ICG  www.icgcoin.com
PCGS www.pcgs.com
NGC  www.ngccoin.com

Cameron Kiefer

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

QUESTION: Do the top grading services cost?  I thought you had to be a dealer to do this? Nancy

Answer
Nancy,

You do not need to be a dealer to submit coins to any of the services but for NGC and PCGS you have to oin their "collectors club" which costs around $100 before you can submit coins.  ICG does not have to have a paid club membership and you can submit one coin if you wish.  It will cost around $30 to grade/authenticate + shipping both ways.

Cameron Kiefer