Why is the 1959 penny i found not copper colored

[zoienluv]

I found a 1959 penny it's in great condition but its not copper colored its more silver colored can sum one please explain I've searched an cant find anything I have an album that has photos of it if sum one could help me it would be great thanks

 

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[Scorpio72]

I read somewhere that back in the 50's & 60's people use to coat the pennies with mercury to make them shiny, maybe you found a hippy coin... Congrats!

 

[zoienluv]

Thanks )

 

[Scorpio72]

You're very welcome. I'm not saying that's the final answer, there are other suggestions I was reading about for example someone might have done a silver plating to the coin as it might have been special to them. And now it's yours

 

[jewelerguy]

could be zinc plated. my daughter said her science class in high school plated a few pennies to learn about electroplating

 

[zoienluv]

could be zinc plated. my daughter said her science class in high school plated a few pennies to learn about electroplating

Cool I will keep lookin thanks for helpin out

 

[wpsgta1000]

It also could be a penny that was struck on a dime blank. The mint used large wooden "tubs" to hold the blanks to be dumped into the hopper to be struck. Sometimes a blank of a different denomination would of been stuck inside the tub and then be released when dumped again.
Give it the "ring test" by dropping it on a hard surface such as a counter top. if it was struck on a silver dime blank it will make a distinct ring sound while a copper penny won't.

 

[Shelbe]

When I was younger, someone gave me a "lead penny" for my collection, I was told that at one time, copper was scarce, it was being used for something else, and one or two years they made these "lead" bit I thing they were made of Steel, pennys. Not sure if this story is truth or fiction...but that is what I was told when I was a child.

 

[zoienluv]

When I was younger, someone gave me a "lead penny" for my collection, I was told that at one time, copper was scarce, it was being used for something else, and one or two years they made these "lead" bit I thing they were made of Steel, pennys. Not sure if this story is truth or fiction...but that is what I was told when I was a child.

Yes they were made of steel if u will look in my posts it explains the steel penny thing I have one I also have photos on here of it they made them in 1943

 

[park pirate]

Some one spray painted it.....just kidding.sorry im stumped....

 

[zoienluv]

Some one spray painted it.....just kidding.sorry im stumped....

Lol I wish that was the answer then it wouldn't have me stumped also smh

 

[silversurfer1111]

you take a nice pic .::.. the penny is nice to . lol .. sorry cant help ...

but this is the penny she is talking about

 

[zoienluv]

you take a nice pic .::.. the penny is nice to . lol .. sorry cant help ...

but this is the penny she is talking about
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=841709"/>

Hahaha why thanks

 

[zoienluv]

you take a nice pic .::.. the penny is nice to . lol .. sorry cant help ...

but this is the penny she is talking about
<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=841709"/>

Thanks I'm not worried about the value of it because I don't plan on gettin rid of it I just wanna know what it's contents is based of its got me bum fuzzled

 

[Lakemonster]

The old copper pennies can easily be silver plated my placing them in a Silver Nitrate bath. It is a popular chemistry class experiment.

 

[wpsgta1000]

Another possibility is that it was struck on a blank intended for a coin from another country. The Philadelphia mint struck coins under contract for many other countries.

 

[fongu]

Is the back the same as a regular Lincoln penny? If it was a mule, one side would look like a penny and one side like a dime or be the color of silver. Strike it rich with pocket change by has several photos of mule coins. If you find a 1959 penny with a wheat on the back, don't let anybody talk you out of it, because they made the last wheats in 1958.

 

[zoienluv]

Yes the back is like a reg penny its not a wheat i wish it was its just not copper colored it has a silver tint to it