I have a 1990 penny that looks silver or silver plated, is this possible or someones idea of a joke?

Question

It has a great finish and looks real. I can't find where a penny could have this kind of a finish in any book.

Answer 1

Well I've got a few different options for you.

1. Most likely: your coin has been silver plated. Not worth much but still interesting.

2. Coin is missing the copper layer leaving the zinc exposed. Rare.

3. Coin has been dipped in mercury. This used to be done a lot but most people now know the dangers of mercury and this would be unlikely.

4. Your coin was struck on a dime planchet by accident. Is it the same size as a normal penny?

Just so the facts are straight: "Owing to a shortage of copper during the critical war year 1943, the Treasury Department resorted to the use of zinc-coated steel for cents. No bronze cents were officially issued in 1943. A few specimens struck on bronze planchets by error are known to exist. Through a similar error, a few of the 1944 cents were struck on steel planchets." - As your coin is a 1998 this doesn't really apply but several other answers tried to tell you the same thing but didn't quite have all the facts.

1 - Take your coin to a local coin dealer (trustworthy ones can be found - shop around). It never hurts to get a second opinion. They will be able to tell you so much more by evaluation the condition of the coins. They will also know the amount minted and what it is going for in today's market.

2 - Try posting pictures on this website (there are many experts here that can help you evaluate it - there also may be people willing to buy if you are trying to sell):
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/default.asp

3 - Repost this question and include pictures. You can use websites like http://www.photobucket.com and include the link in your question.

Good luck!

P.S. You should not clean your coins. Most coin collectors see cleaning a coin as the equivalent of stripping down antique furniture and refinishing it.

When cleaning, the surface metal of the coin is often stripped. Anything used to scrub the coin will leave scratches (even 100% pure silk will leave hairline scratches). Most cleaning products will have some type of reaction with the coin's metal and the surface metal can also be removed in this manner.

Your best bet is to leave the coins alone. Cleaning the coin will leave traces - which can be found by the knowledgeable collector - who in turn will not buy the cleaned coin. Also if you ever wanted to send your coin into a grading company, they can recognize signs of cleaning and will send your coin back in a "cleaned" slab (also called a "body bag" in the coin world) - which is usually a greatly decreased value.

If you absolutely must must must clean your coins do not use the method described above as it will react with the metal in your coin. Use 100% acetone (do not use fingernail polish remover!). It must be 100% pure because other additives will react with the coin metal. Place your coin(s) in the solution for several minutes (do not leave in for long periods of time). Rinse your coin(s) in distilled water. Next remove your coins and either pat dry with a soft cloth or allow the coin to air dry (air drying is better as you don't risk scratching the coin with the cloth). NEVER scrub your coins!

I would still advise you to leave your coins as they are. They may not be bright and shiny but that is what most collectors prefer.

Answer 2

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
I have a 1990 penny that looks silver or silver plated, is this possible or someones idea of a joke?
It has a great finish and looks real. I can't find where a penny could have this kind of a finish in any book.

Answer 3

Since 1982, the U.S. cent (penny) has been made of copper coated zinc. Zinc is a bluish-grey color that might be viewed as silver colored. Thus, the most likely explanation is that you have a piece that has no copper coating and you are looking at the zinc. The copper coating might have been stripped off after the cent was produced or maybe the mint made a mistake and there was no copper coating put on the cent in the first place (I'm not sure whether that is even possible in the minting process, but most mistakes are possible). The market looks at alterations after minting as damage with no value, while mint errors usually command a premium. Look at your piece carefully to see if there is any trace of copper coating anywhere on it, look in particular on the edge. If you see a trace of copper, it is likely that is what the person who removed the coating missed. Try going to www.ebay.com and doing a search for uncoated penny or penny without coating or penny without copper coating and variations on that to see if anyone is selling something like what you have.

Answer 4

Blue T got all of it, but if dipped in mercury it would have a glass like finish. Someone fooled with the cent and maybe they used a proof cent, if that was the case it would have an S near the date it could have been buffed up also.. If the copper coating is missing it is usually on one side, if on both it was melted off. Everyone that answered can really only guess for we would need to see it. Try a couple of coin dealers or maybe there is a nearby coin club, they would help.

Answer 5

For the best answers, search on this site https://shorturl.im/avK15

Wash off the grease and grime first with a regular dish detergent. (not the dishwasher.) Get washing soda (laundry aisle in the grocery store, very cheap and eco-friendly) and put it with warm water in a plastic or glass (NOT METAL) container big enough to submerse your stand in--about 1/4 cup for about 3 gallons of water should be plenty. (A five gallon plastic bucket would probably work well for this.) Put your fruit stand in the bucket, then add a crumpled up piece of aluminum foil (clean) in the bucket. Let it stand for about five minutes. (not longer). The tarnish should wipe right off with a soft rag or paper towel. (might want to wear gloves though, washing soda is tough on skin) If it doesn't, do it again. Be extra careful since the fruit stand is silver plate instead of solid silver. When silver plate gets tarnished like that ANY cleaner can take off the surface, especially if one is not careful. It should come out beautifully. You might want to follow up though with a commercial silver polish though, since the good ones have tarnish inhibitors (silver that has been tarnished for a while has a tendency to tarnish again quickly) and this will really bring out the shine. BTW, washing soda is also called sodium carbonate--just in case they have some other name for it in German. (Not sodium bicarbonate, which is baking soda.)

Answer 6

Dish soap will get any grime off. I like Maas silver polish to clean. As you clean the tarnish will come off more and more. Maybe even a 2nd or 3rd go-round with the polish to get it right, then it will have a coating that will help prevent new tarnish. If it is a real antique then you don't want to coat it with corn syrup filled sticky pepsi. The ghetto method is toothpaste. Paste. not gel.

Answer 7

I used to coat pennies with silver solder. I did it all the way into the early 90's. It might be one of mine. Sorry.........

Answer 8

Blue T mentioned the possibility that the coin may have been dipped in mercury. If that was the case, the coin will feel slicker than normal. Mercury fumes are poisonous.

Answer 9

The copper cladding (plating) has come off or been removed. That silver you see is Zinc.

Answer 10

It could be very real as some times the mint
tries sample coins in different finishes.