Masonic Steel Penny - Looking for Help

[packs]

Not sure anyone on here is into coins but I figured I'd take a shot. I recently came across this steel penny while clearing out some things from my grandmother's house. What's interesting about the penny is that it has a Masonic stamp, the G with a triangle around it, but even more interesting than that is the 1942 date stamped onto it.

Everything I've found online says steel pennies didn't go into circulation until 1943. I've found other articles that refer to "experimental cents" but none of them seem to indicate they were meant to circulate.

Anyone know anything about this penny or what an experimental cent is?

[JustinD]

Mark Pennies were and still are rewarded to freemasons for passing certain levels. These are often worn (thus the hole) pinned to a coat or tie. It really depends on the traditions of a particular lodge. It is not uncommon for some to be plated silver to be more decorative. I would guess this is plated.

Any penny before 2012 should not be magnetic other than a steelie (steel penny). If a magnet does not pick it up, it is plated.

[packs]

It is magnetic. The steel is on both sides too. I'm mostly interested in the date on the penny and how it might have come to be. Everything I see online says the steel penny was not introduced until 1943, but I did find this Wiki entry on what they refer to as "experimental cents" and there's a section on experimental steel pennies in 1942:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1942_experimental_cents

There is also a photo of an experimental 1942 cent included. I'm wondering if I have one?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

It is magnetic. The steel is on both sides too. I'm mostly interested in the date on the penny and how it might have come to be. Everything I see online says the steel penny was not introduced until 1943, but I did find this Wiki entry on what they refer to as "experimental cents" and there's a section on experimental steel pennies in 1942:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1942_experimental_cents

There is also a photo of an experimental 1942 cent included. I'm wondering if I have one?

If you have a good scale what is the exact weight of it? Also look inside the hole with a good loupe and see if the color is consistent all the way through it. Can you also post a close up of just the date and a pic of the back of the coin?

[JollyElm]

Originally Posted by JustinD

Mark Pennies were and still are rewarded to freemasons for passing certain levels. These are often worn (thus the hole) pinned to a coat or tie. It really depends on the traditions of a particular lodge. It is not uncommon for some to be plated silver to be more decorative. I would guess this is plated.

As never having been a part of a secret society (well, except for being one of the small group of people who are too ashamed to admit they collect 1997 SkyBox E-X2000 Hall or Nothing cards), aren't you worried about exposing their secrets so openly like this????? Run, man, run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

As never having been a part of a secret society (well, except for being one of the small group of people who are too ashamed to admit they collect 1997 SkyBox E-X2000 Hall or Nothing cards), aren't you worried about exposing their secrets so openly like this????? Run, man, run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

LOL, yes run. With all the Lodge closing and the huge drop in membership I think their main goal is to get/keep members. The membership is less than half what it was 20 years ago. Around here back in the 80s every little town had a nice Lodge. Now even in the bigger towns around here the Lodge is someone's basement or garage for meetings.

[butchie_t]

My guess is that it is a copper penny that was dipped after the Masonic Emblem was etched into the penny. If you were to take a sharp scribe and scratch the edge with it, then look at it with a loupe, you would more than likely see a copper color where the scribe scratch was made.

You may even be able to see copper colorings now in the hole under magnification.

Butch

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by butchie_t

My guess is that it is a copper penny that was dipped after the Masonic Emblem was etched into the penny. If you were to take a sharp scribe and scratch the edge with it, then look at it with a loupe, you would more than likely see a copper color where the scribe scratch was made.

You may even be able to see copper colorings now in the hole under magnification.

Butch

The Masonic symbol is a stamping process. The first coin is the aluminum coin and the second is the zinc coated steel coin. With a some searching most if not all of the 1942 experimental coins have hit the market at one time or another.

When packs gets back to us with pics and a weight we will know a lot more.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by JollyElm

As never having been a part of a secret society (well, except for being one of the small group of people who are too ashamed to admit they collect 1997 SkyBox E-X2000 Hall or Nothing cards), aren't you worried about exposing their secrets so openly like this????? Run, man, run!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Can it be a secret society if there's only one member?

[packs]

Here's the back of the coin. I don't have a scale sensitive enough to weigh it. The first photo I posted is the best photo I can get of the date. It's hard to photograph because it's reflective.

I think it bears a lot of similarities with the experimental example on the Wiki page, but I really don't know anything about coins.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

Here's the back of the coin. I don't have a scale sensitive enough to weigh it. The first photo I posted is the best photo I can get of the date. It's hard to photograph because it's reflective.

I think it bears a lot of similarities with the experimental example on the Wiki page, but I really don't know anything about coins.

The one pictured on the Wiki page is the aluminum one I posted a pic of. Does yours feel light for an old penny? The old(70s and earlier copper pennies weighed more than the new early 80s until now pennies. If steel yours should feel about the same weight as a newer penny.

Have you tried to clean it with anything or is that the way you found it?

[packs]

That's the way I found it. It was mixed in with a bag of old nickels and I thought it was a dime at first. It does feel a little lighter than normal.

I also got mixed up about its magnetism. It is NOT magnetic. There were a bunch of other steel pennies mixed in with the collection. I tried sticking it to a magnet again before taking the picture of the back of the coin and it didn't stick. That could also point to an aluminum composition. I don't think aluminum is magnetic.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

That's the way I found it. It was mixed in with a bag of old nickels and I thought it was a dime at first. It does feel a little lighter than normal.

I also got mixed up about its magnetism. It is NOT magnetic. There were a bunch of other steel pennies mixed in with the collection. I tried sticking it to a magnet again before taking the picture of the back of the coin and it didn't stick. That could also point to an aluminum composition. I don't think aluminum is magnetic.

Aluminum isn't magnetic. The aluminum one weights around half a normal one. I think it is 1.7 grams but would have to look it up to make sure. Really interesting coin. Something like that would be worth your time to take it/send it to PCGS or the grader of your choice. Buying a cheap digital grams scale should be first though. Like cards there are also a ton of fake coins out there and always has been. Most get the weight wrong.

[packs]

I guess anything is possible but as I mentioned I found this coin in a bag labeled "old nickels" while clearing out my grandmother's house. It wasn't set aside or anything like that. The rest of the nickels were from the 40s and 50s as well. It could be a fake but if it is I don't think it was intended to trick someone into thinking it was valuable.

Speaking of, if I do have an experimental cent, would that be valuable to someone?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

I guess anything is possible but as I mentioned I found this coin in a bag labeled "old nickels" while clearing out my grandmother's house. It wasn't set aside or anything like that. The rest of the nickels were from the 40s and 50s as well. It could be a fake but if it is I don't think it was intended to trick someone into thinking it was valuable.

In the card world this would be like finding a rookie Mickey Mantle in a 5 cent per card monster box full of beat up junk era commons.

Please let us know what happens when/if you take it to a good coin shop or send it in for grading. It is extremely cool to see for many reasons.

[packs]

I'm in NYC. Maybe I'll try to take it up to Brigandi one day and get their opinion.

Never mind. Looks like they closed. I'll see if I can find another shop.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

I'm in NYC. Maybe I'll try to take it up to Brigandi one day and get their opinion.

Never mind. Looks like they closed. I'll see if I can find another shop.

I can't imagine if real it is under a 6 figure coin. One sold 10 years ago for 200K and one sold around 15 years ago for 125K. Now they didn't have the Mason symbol stamped into them so who knows what that would do to the value. The amount of wear is the main thing that concerns me.

[packs]

Wow. Well that makes it worth looking into. I think I'll take it in to this place tomorrow on my lunch break and see if they have any insight:

https://stacksbowers.com/

[sb1]

It has copper showing thru on the rims and several other raised areas. It has been plated, most likely with zinc.

[butchie_t]

Originally Posted by sb1

It has copper showing thru on the rims and several other raised areas. It has been plated, most likely with zinc.

Looks like copper at the reverse rim to me as well. Good catch.....

[packs]

The store I took it too felt it was decoratively plated too.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by packs

The store I took it too felt it was decoratively plated too.

That is too bad. It would have been great to have had the aluminum experimental penny with a stamp from a Mason working at the mint. Still a cool item for a Mason to have/display but sadly only worth a few dollars.

[JollyElm]

Bummer!!!
We were all hoping this was going to turn into something epic. I guess hope is always a dangerous thing.