HI THERE. IVE BEEN COLLECTING A FEW COINS AND MY FAVS ARE THE INDIAN HEAD PENNIES. BUT MY MOST FAVORITES ARE THE ERRORS. IVE GOT AN 1863 THAT WEIGHS IN AT 4.3GRAMS IT HAS AN INCUSED ONE CENT ON THE OBVERSE, AND THE REVERSE HAS QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT AREAS THAT APPEAR TO HAVE SOME LETTERING AND LIKEWISE ON THE OBVERSE, AND SOME SILVER RAISED METAL IN THIS LETTERING. IM NOT SURE WHAT ALL IS GOING ON WITH THIS COIN. CAN YOU HELP ME? "THANKS" REESE...
Mano, Your 1985 piece sounds typical of a very nice, perhaps uncirculated, copper-plated zinc Lincoln cent, which was first made in 1982. Copper-plated zinc cents (virtually all made since 1982 are copper-plated zinc) do look brighter and lighter-colored than the copper Lincoln cents made before 1982. Your 1985 without a mintmark is a Philadelphia coin (all one-cent coins without mintmarks have been made in Philadelphia) and is worth about 10-25 cents in typical uncirculated grades. Any regular copper-plated zinc Lincoln cent is worth face value if worn....
J.R.W., That mainly has to do with the natural toning process cents go through. Copper (which is the plating on the coin) is notorious for toning, especially in hot, humid environments or near fumes and heat....
Albe, It's possible that your Lincoln cent does not have its copper coating; cents made since 1982 have a zinc core, which could look and feel like aluminum. If that is the case, your coin is an "error" coin and could be worth anywhere from $5-10 for a piece that is partially coated to $75+ for a piece with no copper coating at all. However, if your coin was simply dipped -- like in mercury or another metal -- then the coin is numismatically worthless....
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