1985-D fake?

[Derlowemann]

I have a 1985-D penny that is the size of a nickel, it is not copper looking at all. It sounds like tin when you drop it and is grey in color. It is turning green on the back.
I also have a 1970-D quarter that has no ridges, it is smooth all the way around and sounds silver when you drop it. If you look at the side you can see silver and copper, but it sounds like pure silver. It is thinner than a regular quarter. I was told years ago that they made prototypes for the new decade {1970} and showed them to Congress and that this was one of those quarters....

If so, do they do that with pennies too? Has anyone ever seen one of these pennies? Thanks, Anton

[jcuve]

If I have not said it before I'll say it now - welcome to the forum!

Let's see...coins like this are more likely to have a Post-Mint origin to explain the differences observed as opposed to an experimental planchet or a Mint error. That said I cannot imagine anyone faking a 1985D Lincoln cent, I am not even sure the Chinese fakes go up into the memorials. The coin looks corroded, either altering the copper or eating it off. It doesn't really appear larger but it could have been pressed around the edges making it a tad larger. The coin's weight and a comparison shot in between a regular cent and a nickel would help but I really don't think it is anything but a damaged cent. Of course I have been wrong before...

[Derlowemann]

That was my thought, if you are going to take the time to counterfeit money why do a penny? LOL. But if you put it on a nickel it is the same size, when you drop it on a table it does not sound like a penny, it sounds like it is tin. It is lighter and thinner than a regular penny which is probably why it is beat up, weaker metal. And whatever it is it is corroding, you can see the greenish coor coming in on the back.

[jcuve]

Remember Lincolns at this point are copper plated zinc, if someone dipped it in a corrosive, the copper could have been eaten away exposing the zinc inside which would account for the color, weight and sound changes you have noted.

[RWBILLER]

welcome to lcr!
roger

[kloccwork419]

Looks soaked in something and very damaged from it.

how much does it weigh?

[mustbebob]

One possible explanation on missing the reeded edge on your quarter could be that it was broad struck. Have you compared the diameter of that quarter with others? Also, weights on both of these coins would be very helpful.

[Derlowemann]

One possible explanation on missing the reeded edge on your quarter could be that it was broad struck. Have you compared the diameter of that quarter with others? Also, weights on both of these coins would be very helpful.

Yes, the quarter is the exact same size when laid on another quarter. The quarter weighs 4 grams, a 1965 quarter weighs nearly 6 grams as does a 1986. Looking at the edge where the edges should be you can clearly see a thin layer of brown and a thicker layer of silver.

The penny is about the same weight, I am using a postal hanging scale. The penny in question is right under 3 grams, and another 85 is about 2 1/2...

Hope this helps, I know it would be much easier to look at it in hand and compare, touch, listen and hear the unique sound they both make.
But any info would be great. Thanks again, Anton

[kloccwork419]

A digital scale woul dbe more acurate. A hanging scale in always off

[snowman]

i have a penny like this with the size of a nickel

its probably been heated up and the zinc expanded