bronze-clad steel cents

[Robert]

Reading the June 7 edition of Coin World, on page 76 it shows a b&w photo of a 1974 bronze-clad cent. The mint denied making the coin in the 1970s but admitted that production in 1994. They were melted in 1974 but a steel mill worker managed to hang on to 5 of them. I wasn't aware of this story. I imagine the bronze-clad steel cents would look like German 1 and 2 pfennig coins or even 5 and 10 pfennig brass-plated steel coins.

So with the aluminum cent and the bronze-clad steel cents, we have 2 cases where the mint had attempted to use alternate metals in cents. And I think Canada has changed their compositions too. Given metals prices etc, do you think we'll see new metals (or non-metals) being used on US coinage soon?

[eagames]

I didn't know about the clad ones from 74.

There also were more types made as patterns in 1942, ranging from bake-o-lite plastic to bronze.

[coop]

Here is an image of one of them in a silver colored (probably steel) planchet.

[eagames]

Some links about 1942 patterns:

The plastic ones or at least most of them were not Lincolns, if I saw one at a swap meet for $1 I might not even think it was anything. This thread has some good info and pics:

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=757165

This huge thread has info about one that looks like the coin Coop posted. I think the one in the thread is the only proof and it sold for $110,000:

http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=26&threadid=628993

A page with info about the plastic cents:

http://lakdiva.org/coins/pattern/1942_US_01c_patterns.html

[Dick]

Ed, that is some very interesting reading!

[coop]

Note the VEDS die state on the coin above. It's always nice to see what one of the first coins off the presses look like.

[Dick]

Like maybe putting it into an air-tite, before "slipping it out of the mint"?

[coop]

Another pretty one

[Dick]

That looks real niice, but it doesn't compare with the "Walker", or the SLQ.
Of course, in accordance with what the mint came out with for 2010 cent, that may fit in,
(Somewhere).

[coppercoins]

Somewhere in all this mess I have a magazine from 1990 that describes the situation with the 1974 (or 1973) steel cents. I had thought they were plated - not clad. Not sure, it has been at least 15 years since I read that article. I will have to see if I can dig it up and read it again.

As I remember, the coins were minted in one year, but were dated the other year. 1973 and 1974 are the dates in subject.

[Dick]

I remember hearing, (after i became a member od Coppercoins.com, and as I recall the date was 1974, and the metal was aluminium. I don't recall if the coins were released into circulation, (I doubt they were), and the few that have shown, were most likely smuggled out, or given to (VIP's), and they tossed them out, to later be found. anybody's guess.

[coppercoins]

Dick - two different stories here...the aluminum 1974 dated cetns are well known and have been a matter of stories and controversy since their non-release in 1974.

This has to do with copper plated or clad steel planchets used in a test in (I believe) 1973 with 1974 dated dies. It could also be in 1974 with 1973 dies, but the other way around makes more sense. I will have to dig around and see if I can find the magazine that mentioned them. I know I read about them many years back.

[Robert]

THe article on page 74 of Coin World (June 7 issue) has a picture of a 1974-dated cent. The article says the aluminum cent and the "bronze-clad steel" cents were struck in 1973. The mint acknowledged only the aluminum cents (1,579,324 of which were made). The bronze-clad steel cents were unknown to collectors until 1994 when someone sent Coin World one of the coins. Coin World then contacted the mint, which acknowledged that the coins existed. The coins were melted in 1947 but some escaped. They were steel cores bonded to 2 layers of bronze, one on each face of the coin. The edges had a sandwich-like appearance.

And in 1996 Coin World reported that 66 aluminum cents, dated 1975, were struck by the mint in May of 1974. All but two were melted. Those 2 are unaccounted for.

This whole adventure was done because copper prices rose in 1973 and alternate metals were studied as replacements for copper/zinc. The mint ultimately selected aluminum but ran into political opposition from vending machine interestes. Plus copper prices fell.

[Robert]

And finally, "rumors continue to circulate about multiple examples found in a roll of (1974 aluminum) coins in Georgia".

But... "The Mint and Secret Service officials maintain that the 1974 aluminum and bronze-clad stell cents are illegal to own."

[Dick]

I just finished reading that article. It was very interesting. i had seen it before, but didn't read it. i read 'collectoers Clearinghouse, instead, i believe. i just rad the one by Mike Diamond, in the current issue. it makes it nice, being able to read it :"omn line, instead of having to deal with all that paper. Space is at a premium, when one gets a 'bit older"!