Realcent.org

I found a 1975-D Lincoln cent that could potentially be an error and I thought I’d ask about it. I want to apologize in advance in that I don’t have a good way to upload a photo. So instead let me describe it as best as possible.

The obverse is probably about XFish- a bit dark but nothing too offensive. But the reverse looks like one half of a blank planchet. There is no upset rim and the back appears to be smooth. I don’t see any signs of the Lincoln Memorial or marks made by a file or other device. Also, the obverse doesn’t show any tampering type marks. This pre-82 (presumably) copper cent should weigh 3.1 grams, but it only weighs 2.4 grams.

Has anyone ever seen a coin without heavy wear that was blank on one side and looked perfectly normal on the other? I own and have seen plenty of blank planchets that are blank on both sides.

What do you guys think? Was this tampered with or is it legit? If legit, can you give me a rough guesstimate on the value?

The really low weight makes me think it has been tampered with in some fashion. Off-center strike planchets usually affect both sides equally in my experience, and you seem to have ruled that out. We've all seen the washing machine damaged pennies and nickels where a side has been nearly completely smoothed away......could it be that?

My son Franklin found one a few years ago. http://www.realcent.org/viewtopic.php?f=15&t=14744&hilit=+planchet

The one that Franklin found weighs 2.46 grams and mine shows as 2.4 (my scale only has one digit after the decimal). But the thin (or foreign) planchet theory sounds like what I might have. Thanks for the input on this one.

Don't know how one side could strike up and the other side be smooth or flat, I would lean toward the washing machine or something else scenario.