Error Other | "type 1 blank" mystery

[willbrooks]

Found this on the floor at Costco. A little bit of a mystery to me. While there is a very slight rim, it hardly seems strong enough to be an actual proto-rim. Maybe that little bit of pushed metal is just the result of being punched? It is definitely copper or copper alloy, and weighs in at a near perfect 3.09g. However, it is ever so slightly smaller in diameter than a struck cent. Here is the dilemma. Don't cent blanks have to be LARGER in diameter, so that they are the correct size after the proto-rim is made in the upset mill? If so, then this is just some sort of slug? (which I suppose would make more sense than a 35+ year old type 1 blank being on the floor at Costco!) Or, is it a legitimate cent planchet with a weak proto-rim? They are normally slightly smaller in diameter than a struck cent, are they not? If so, than that would make sense too. I could use some help on this oddity. I thought I would ask about to see if anyone has some input. Thanks.

[Roller]

I have one or two that look like that. Don't know if I can readily put my hands on them though to see about the anomaly you mention. The ones I have found I considered to have a proto rim. The one in your picture looks to have it also. Since both faces have the apparent "rim" I don't see how it could have resulted from the blanking punch. I would think that if it were from blanking the rim-like protrusion would only be on one side. In short, no definitive answer from here.

[willbrooks]

Thanks, Roller. I think the rim looks stronger in the photo than it really is, but the more look at it, the more I think it is a proto-rim, just a weak-looking one. But I'll see what others have to say. What it was doing on the floor of costco, I have no idea.

[VAB2013]

Maybe somebody got it in change and thought it was useless and tossed it on the floor. Some people don't care like we do

[mustbebob]

No doubt that this has a proto-rim and seems to be a normal blank planchet. The proto-rims are not real high to begin with and tend to look higher after a die strikes the coin. I am not too sure about the size difference but it does make sense that a slightly smaller diameter will expand to the size of the collar once all that pressure is applied during the striking.

I also would tend to agree with Viv's rationale for finding it on the floor. Seems very possible that someone would have thought it was a slug or something and threw it on the floor for someone like you to find. Gotta say, it's the first Costco floor find of that type I have ever heard of.

[jcuve]

I agree with Bob. It looks like a type 2 planchet, which should be smaller so it fits into the collar die.

[jfines69]

Nice find Will!!!

[uglycent]

Strange score. Weird things happen in the coin search all the time. A silver proof state quarter in change and no one noticed till I got the worn coin? People just don't pay attention.

[Frank]

The first thing I thought of was a metal knock-out from a display.

Many moons ago, when I worked at Hill's, we used to see these in receiving all the time. That's where we'd set up the displays for the floor, and the knocked-out pcs always made it on the floor.

But if this were one of those, you'd see the dimples from where the knock-out was attached to the rest of the frame too. VERY nice score there, Will!!

[GrumpyEd]

Looks like a type 2. Neat find!

As with all "how did it get there" mysteries we can only guess.
But... Is the place near the auto checkout? Maybe because the size was off the machine rejected it and the person decided to toss it on the floor.

[Roller]

Looks like a type 2. Neat find!

As with all "how did it get there" mysteries we can only guess.
But... Is the place near the auto checkout? Maybe because the size was off the machine rejected it and the person decided to toss it on the floor.

Or the machine tossed on to the floor.

[willbrooks]

The first thing I thought of was a metal knock-out from a display.

Many moons ago, when I worked at Hill's, we used to see these in receiving all the time. That's where we'd set up the displays for the floor, and the knocked-out pcs always made it on the floor.

But if this were one of those, you'd see the dimples from where the knock-out was attached to the rest of the frame too. VERY nice score there, Will!!

Thanks for your input, Frank. Over the years, I have diagnosed many a "quarter blank" as an electrical box knock-out. I know the difference. By the way, your package will be in the mail this week. If you hear a ticking sound, it is probably just the 17 year cicadas descending on your mailbox.