1988-P Post Mint Plated Lincoln

[jcuve]

The first time I acquired a Lincoln labeled as "unplated" I had been scammed. When it arrived I could clearly see the acid-bite marks. This was on eBay, around 1999, and I wasn't able to get a refund from a very hostile seller.

The following example I picked up last year and I am very certain it is genuine. It has mint luster, no loss of detail, (no bite marks) and has all the normal details including die scratches...

[snowman]

very nice - can you get a weight on it make certain

[fugnchill]

Hi Jcuve,

Cool looking coin! I'm assuming that you've looked at the designers initials for the RDV? The A and M of America look close but that's just the angle.

Happy Hunting,
Lestrrr

[jcuve]

No scale to weigh it
I'll probably just send it to ANACS sometime this year with my '46 inverted S and a few other odds and ends

And its RDV-005...I checked ages ago just in case...

[mustbebob]

Jason,
I found an unplated 1995 a month or so ago that didn't have near the luster yours has, and it was proclaimed genuine by Mike Diamond of CONECA. Might I suggest you send it to him for authentication before spending the money for a TPG service??

[jcuve]

Jason,
I found an unplated 1995 a month or so ago that didn't have near the luster yours has, and it was proclaimed genuine by Mike Diamond of CONECA. Might I suggest you send it to him for authentication before spending the money for a TPG service??

That's an idea...I hadn't thought of that.
Thanks for the suggestion.

[1sgret]

I have to agree with Bob. I would be hesitant to say that it is unplated.

The surface of the coin is too smooth and shiny. There should be some discoloration (darken) areas of the Zinc from the effect of the plating baths or from oxidation.

I agree with Bob also that you need to have Mike Diamond look at it before you send it in to have it graded.
You could send an e-mail with your photos to MDial1@aol.com and ask him to give you a preliminary exam by your photos. He will either tell you one way or the other.

[jcuve]

Maybe it was cleaned or dipped? Let me take a good look at it. I cannot see how the plating could have been removed without damaging the surface...

And I'll email Mike momentarily and post anything he might have to say.

[RWBILLER]

Jason:
I concur with Bob.
Roger

[jcuve]

I spoke (by email) to Mike. He said "...luster seems a bit artificial to me..." but couldn't rule it out as genuine on that basis and wants me to send it in. We discussed the possibility of it being plated very, very thinly. I did alter the contrast in the photo a bit, so it may look shinier than it does in person.

Guess I'll find out later this week what Mike's conclusions are...

[1sgret]

I spoke (by email) to Mike. He said "...luster seems a bit artificial to me..." but couldn't rule it out as genuine on that basis and wants me to send it in. We discussed the possibility of it being plated very, very thinly. I did alter the contrast in the photo a bit, so it may look shinier than it does in person.

Guess I'll find out later this week what Mike's conclusions are...

That's a good sign that he would like to see it and my thought's were the same and I hope I am wrong. Keep us posted.

[jcuve]

That's a good sign that he would like to see it and my thought's were the same and I hope I am wrong. Keep us posted.

I hope it is real - but it is what it is and I cannot change it.

It never occurred to me that an ultra thin plate job was possible. The re-plated '43s I have seen always seem to have a loss of detail so I figured this example was fine. I even recall the seller having one or two of other unplated Lincolns for sale that were in ANACS slabs so I wasn't all that worried about it.

Joe, thanks for posting your example and giving me your feedback. I'll posts Mike's conclusions when i receive them...

[1sgret]

Your welcome and I'll keep my fingers crossed and toes too.

[jcuve]

Well Joe and Bob were correct with their observations: add plate-job to the list of probable forgeries with “unplated Lincolns.” I received the coin back from Mike Diamond; he stated that it weighed more than a normal cent (2.64 grams.) He also defined the appearance as, “too glossy and … too slick.”

Scammed again.

It just never occurred to me when I was searching for one of these unplated Lincolns that someone would go to the trouble to plate a penny and pass it off as the real deal. To their credit they did a good job of covering the coin but not losing any details.

Guess this needs to be moved to the “throw backs” pile and I’ll have to be beyond careful in the future when trying to obtain a genuine specimen.

[morel]

Most all of the plated coins that have been getting on the market is from high school students learning how to plating in their chemistry classes. Their projects get released into circulation and the next person who receives them change believes that they have an error. The best way to check them is by weight, a very accurate scales can be purchased for around $25 and save you a lot of time an money.