1943年林肯1分 PCGS AU Details Lincoln Cent
1943 Lincoln Cent--Struck on a Bronze Planchet--AU Details--Cleaned (PCGS).This is a desirable and newly available specimen of this famous 20th century Mint error. Attractive despite the noted impairment, the complexion is evenly glossed and free from distracting areas of brightness. The surfaces have toned with pleasing shades of caramel and olive-brown. The usual softness is noted at the letters O in ONE and AM in AMERICA, but the devices are otherwise sharp. Magnification reveals hairline scratches behind Lincolns head and a few marks at the right obverse rim, but these go largely unnoticed to the naked eye.This specimen was first discovered in 1976 in the gumball machine of a restaurant located across the street from the Philadelphia Mint. The owner of the restaurant then offered it to a local butcher who advertised as a coin buyer in the window of his shop. The butcher purchased it for $1,000 once it had been authenticated by ANACS in November 1976, and he subsequently brought it to our staff at Stacks Rare Coins in New York City for additional confirmation. Over the following decades, the coin was passed down to the butchers children, who elected to have it certified by NGC in February 2019 with the help of Mitch Battino at Hudson Rare Coins. Recently certified by PCGS, it is now available at public auction and will surely draw considerable attention from both Mint error and Lincoln cent specialists!Just about 20 distinct 1943 bronze cents are known from the Philadelphia Mint and they are highly prized at all grade levels. When the U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel planchets in 1943, it is supposed that a small quantity of bronze planchets from 1942 were somehow caught up in the folds of the delivery carts. These blank planchets worked their way loose and wound up feeding through the presses along with the new steel cents, creating this accidental but famous rarity.The standard alloy for these bronze planchets leading up to the change to steel was 95% copper, 5% tin and zinc. The steel planchets used in regular production required greater striking pressure to execute the designs, so these softer bronze planchets are typically very sharply struck, particularly since they would theoretically have been produced at the beginning of 1943 when the dies were fresh.While these bronze cents are the most famous off-metal striking for this year, several different alloys have been observed including planchets intended for foreign coinage struck at the U.S. Mint. Author and researcher Roger W. Burdette has also discovered specific documentation that reveals the Mint was striking experimental cents on planchets made from bullet shell casings in late 1943.PCGS# 82709. NGC ID: 22E5.Discovered in 1976 in a gumball machine near the Philadelphia Mint. First authenticated by ANACS in November 1976, and shortly thereafter by our (Stacks) New York City staff. It was first certified in the modern era by NGC in February 2019, via Mitch Battino of Hudson Rare Coins, and has been recently certified by PCGS for this sale.
