Whatzzz Up With The Yellow Penny?

[Wayne]

I dont know what to think of this one....hard to describe the color.My pics dont capture the color exactly.
It is so different,you spot it immediately.

[copperlover]

You might find possible explanations here; see links attached:

http://www.cointalk.com/t35357/

http://www.cointalk.com/t88642/

[Wayne]

I saw some over at Ken Potters site but not 1996.

He sells them for $45.00 to $95.00 so I guess its worth a few ruples.

[copperlover]

The explanation given sometime ago by JC seems entirely plausible Wayne and the second link addresses this particular date.

Lucien

[RWBILLER]

People say it's brass plated - the clad cents are coated with a very thin layer of pure copper - sometimes it gets mixed with the underlying zinc. This causes the yellow color. Sometimes the copper also may have a little phosphorus - again making it yellow. I use to collect them but throw them back now. I personally think there worth nothing. But I did keep one nice one of every year I have found.
Must of been slim Pickens this weekend, Wayne!!!!
Rog

[pman860507]

I have never came across one, but i think they look pretty cool.

[coop]

The unique thing is that it stands out so much from a bunch of normal coins.

[foundinrolls]

The cents made later in 1982 and later are copper plated over a zinc core. They are not technically a clad coin as suggested above.

The molten copper used for plating the blanks occasionally was contaminated with the zinc used for the cores. That contamination created "brass" resulting in a material that was more yellow in color than the "red" that we expect to see on a copper plated coin.

It was seen , especially during 1983, 1984 and then again in the mid to late 90s. They technically do not meet the color specs that the Mint was shooting for but since the coins were, in every other way, just fine, they were issued and not recalled.

They are a type of error and they are collected by some folks so they do sell.

Some from 1983 can be so "brassy" that they appear to be greenish or gold in color.

Thanks,
Bill

[Maineman750]

The cents made later in 1982 and later are copper plated over a zinc core. They are not technically a clad coin as suggested above.

The molten copper used for plating the blanks occasionally was contaminated with the zinc used for the cores. That contamination created "brass" resulting in a material that was more yellow in color than the "red" that we expect to see on a copper plated coin.

It was seen , especially during 1983, 1984 and then again in the mid to late 90s. They technically do not meet the color specs that the Mint was shooting for but since the coins were, in every other way, just fine, they were issued and not recalled.

They are a type of error and they are collected by some folks so they do sell.

Some from 1983 can be so "brassy" that they appear to be greenish or gold in color.

Thanks,
Bill

Agree with Bill, and am surprised we haven't had any 83's posted...the ones I've found actually look chartreuse in color and really stand out.

[RWBILLER]

So , a coin that's consists of the following is not clad! Right!

1982–present 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper (core: 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper; plating: pure copper
Oh?
Rog

[jfines69]

This is a cool looking coin... Nice find... I have yet to see one in person!!!

[liveandievarieties]

So , a coin that's consists of the following is not clad! Right!

1982–present 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper (core: 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper; plating: pure copper
Oh?
Rog

Definition: A clad coin is one that has multiple layers of metal in it; most current U.S. clad coins consist of an inner core of copper, with outer layers of a silver-colored nickel-copper alloy. Examples of this type of clad coin are the U.S. Dime, Quarter, and Half Dollar.

The golden dollar coins, including the Sacagawea Dollar and the Presidential Dollars, are also clad. They have a copper core with clad layers made from a zinc, manganese, and nickel combination.
Examples:
On most U.S. clad coins, if you look at the edge of the coin, you can see the copper core sandwiched between the outer layers of metal.

FROM: http://coins.about.com/od/coinsgloss...adcoinsdef.htm

Zinc cents are PLATED, slightly different from the meaning of clad in numismatic terms.

[Radlsneak]

I recently found one much similar. It's a 2001-D that I thought some was playing science with.

http://blue-dogz.com/coins/TONE1.JPG

http://blue-dogz.com/coins/TONE2.JPG

[SuddenAdoration]

Is this BU 1970S look yellow too?

I took a picture of this yellow colored penny next to a regular one, both came out of a BU roll. This is the first one I have seen in hand, it's pretty cool looking.

If this is considered yellow, would you say the coin yellow toned? And the other red tone?

Thanks!
(I meant in the title, Does this , not Is this...lol)

[foundinrolls]

Since the 1970S cent was minted prior to the 1982 and later plated cents, we must conclude that your coin simply toned a yellow color. That is normal.
The coins that are not normal are cents where copper is plated over zinc (Part way through 1982 and later). The copper used for the plating can be contaminated with zinc, creating a brass plating.

Your coin has no additional value as the yellow color is not due to a plating issue.

Thanks,
Bill