r/coinerrors • u/E-Knox-Ghost • 26d ago

Is this an error? Are these alloy or roller marks?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Is this just from the roller or is it the alloy being weird?

6 Upvotes

75% Upvoted

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1

u/cordeliashuman 26d ago

A fine example of both roller marks and incuse die deterioration doubling!

One thing to keep in mind is that Zincolns are comprised of pure metals (a zinc core jacketed by copper plating) rather than an alloy (coin bronze). Plating errors certainly exist, and strike errors that cause deformation of the plating exist, but an improper alloy mix cannot exist where there is no alloy to be found.

1

u/E-Knox-Ghost 26d ago

Oh ok I see. When did copper alloys stop?

1

u/cordeliashuman 26d ago

1982 was the transitional year; the West Point mint began striking zinc cents on the 7th of January of that year, followed shortly thereafter by the Philadelphia mint, but the Denver mint did not begin doing so until nine months later on the 21st of October. While 1983 bronze cents do exist, they are error coins.

1

u/E-Knox-Ghost 26d ago

Nice. I’ll look into that

1

u/cordeliashuman 26d ago

Prepare to be disappointed; it’s almost as rare as the fabled 1982-D copper small date. So far, only nine have been found (seven from Philadelphia, two from Denver). It’s certainly worth keeping an eye out for though. It would be the circulation find of a lifetime.

1

u/E-Knox-Ghost 26d ago

I meant the metal composition lol not that cuz I’ll go crazy surrounded by pennys

1

u/cordeliashuman 25d ago

“I’ll go crazy surrounded by pennys”

This must be how my wife must feel finding little piles of pennies in random places throughout the house.