Masonic Steel Penny - Looking for Help

[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?