RChris

Thanks for that Rob - although I'm not so well educated as I had to look up what a homogenous crystal lattice is! I respect your opinion and expereince of course, but I'm still not convinced without actually seeing the "acid test" (pun intended) for myself. I have a few thin flan/planchet pennies from different reigns - some with your proposed acid effect but others slightly crisper and without it. Being more practical than academic I assumed that thin blanks are simply the cause of the sheet of metal they are stamped from being rolled beyond the correct thickness. Anyhow, I looked around and found this on the interweb, from a guy who has installed coinage presses, maintained them, worked as a die setter and trained personnel in coining operations. His explanations of causes work for me. http://koinpro.tripod.com/Articles/TrialorWeakStrkMoffatt

Would you mind explaining further Rob? Acid when, where, how? Mistake during manufacture or collector cleaning attempt? Neither. Dissolving coins in acid seems to have been quite a common prank in times gone by, when boys could walk into a shop and buy quite volatile ingredients for their "chemistry set" I've got a 1929 shilling that suffered this, and I have to say that acid was my first reaction on seeing your pictures. The first one is more interesting to me, as the grease has allowed the ghost of BRITT to appear, but whatever is where GRA should be, is something else entirely. So you're saying there could have been a blob of grease next to.....? Maybe a thicker blob of grease? I appreciate your replies chaps - but as a novice I haven't yet heard what seem to be facts, just your opinions? But maybe unless it's an obvious die crack or lamination issue, opinions are only what can be offered? For example, Rob offers a few ideas as to what may have caused the issues with this penny - and was Peckris there to witness his 1929 shilling getting an acid bath? Or has he experiemented with acid on a similar coin? Just playing devil's advocate guys, not trying to be a smartarse......but I'm hoping to learn here and have a good few more years with this hobby.

Would you mind explaining further Rob? Acid when, where, how? Mistake during manufacture or collector cleaning attempt?

Looks normal to me - just weighed it @ 9.4g.

The reverse got the shakes too....

The only two slabbed pennies I've bought I cracked open - hate the things with a passion! Where's the pleasure in not being able to touch your coins - I just don't get it. If it's all about value, I'll be dead before my coins are sold so I don't care what they realise when I'm gone. My only experience with CGS has been an enquiry about the 1919KN they've had on offer for ages. It was £3K about a year ago but when I enquired about and made a £2K offer I had no reply and the next time I looked they'd put it up to £3250! I also pointed out that an example they sold in a previous auction for half the price looked better than this one which they reckon is "the finest known"....I had no reply to that either.

Can more experienced members tell me if this is a common phenomenon as illustrated on these 1920 & 1921 pennies? I see Michael Gouby has a couple of 1920's listed as having a streaky metal mix.

Thanks guys - I've cracked it now.

Interesting report Peckris! And would explain it of course.....I have a few more examples of both dates but with much lesser degrees of streakiness (a word I probably never would have used had I not started collecting this stuff!). Thanks for all your replies.

Thanks for the replies - PM's sent.

Hi guys - I just joined so my first post. I recently got back into GB penny collecting after enjoying it in my youth but had to sell my collection to raise a mortgage deposit. I recently acquired this 1967 penny. It looks like cupro nickel and "feels" like it - if you know what I mean. I don't think it's plated as it has a few nicks with nothing showing through. It's the exact same size in depth and diameter as a regular bronze 1967 penny, but weighs more at 9.75g. I can't find any records of a 1967 penny being produced in CN (except one on a florin/10p blank). I asked Michael Gouby and he suggests I contact the Royal Mint to ask about it - but their website doesn't offer any service like this and seems actually to discourage by advising contacting a reputable dealer. I'm confident it's right, but how can I find out for sure it's genuine?