A 1996-D Lincoln cent struck at the Denver Mint and certified more than two decades ago by Professional Coin Grading Service was likely struck on a planchet meant for a foreign country, according to error coin dealer Jon Sullivan of Sullivan Numismatics in Land O Lakes, Florida.

Collector Jimmy Pease purchased the cent in a GreatCollections online auction that closed Aug. 10, realizing a price of $1,040.62.

Pease was concerned about the legality of owning such a coin.

“The United States Mint in 1974 struck Lincoln cents on experimental bronze-clad steel planchets, they used regular Lincoln cent dies,” Pease noted.

“The U.S. Mint retains two specimens in their files, and considers these experimental coins property of the U.S. government and illegal for private individuals to own. I can’t find any information about my 1996-D Lincoln cent struck on a bronze-clad steel planchet; its diameter measures approximately 19.05 millimeters.

“Any information about my Lincoln cent would be greatly appreciated.”

PCGS certified the coins as Mint State 64, red and identified them as struck on a bronze-clad steel planchet using regular Lincoln cent dies.

Coin World forwarded Pease’s inquiry to Sullivan for information on the coin.

“This is on a foreign planchet,” Sullivan said. “There were some struck in the late 1990s until 2000, which are struck on these types of planchets. I don’t know the country, but I’ve heard it rumored they could be Malaysian 1-sen or Singapore 1-cent planchets.”

GreatCollections President Ian Russell told Coin World the 1996-D cent was one of two coins submitted by the same consignor, the other coin identified as a PCGS MS-63 red 1997-D Lincoln copper cent struck on an unidentified foreign planchet.

Russell said both Lincoln cents, which sold in the same auction, were certified by PCGS some 25 years ago and housed in early versions of  that grading service’s plastic holders.

The 1997-D cent realized $274.12, which included the buyer’s premium.

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A 1996-D Lincoln cent struck at the Denver Mint and certified more than two decades ago by Professional Coin Grading Service was likely struck on a planchet meant for a foreign country, according to error coin dealer Jon Sullivan of Sullivan Numismatics in Land O Lakes, Florida.

Collector Jimmy Pease purchased the cent in a GreatCollections online auction that closed Aug. 10, realizing a price of $1,040.62.

Pease was concerned about the legality of owning such a coin.

“The United States Mint in 1974 struck Lincoln cents on experimental bronze-clad steel planchets, they used regular Lincoln cent dies,” Pease noted.

“The U.S. Mint retains two specimens in their files, and considers these experimental coins property of the U.S. government and illegal for private individuals to own. I can’t find any information about my 1996-D Lincoln cent struck on a bronze-clad steel planchet; its diameter measures approximately 19.05 millimeters.

“Any information about my Lincoln cent would be greatly appreciated.”

PCGS certified the coins as Mint State 64, red and identified them as struck on a bronze-clad steel planchet using regular Lincoln cent dies.

Coin World forwarded Pease’s inquiry to Sullivan for information on the coin.

“This is on a foreign planchet,” Sullivan said. “There were some struck in the late 1990s until 2000, which are struck on these types of planchets. I don’t know the country, but I’ve heard it rumored they could be Malaysian 1-sen or Singapore 1-cent planchets.”

GreatCollections President Ian Russell told Coin World the 1996-D cent was one of two coins submitted by the same consignor, the other coin identified as a PCGS MS-63 red 1997-D Lincoln copper cent struck on an unidentified foreign planchet.

Russell said both Lincoln cents, which sold in the same auction, were certified by PCGS some 25 years ago and housed in early versions of  that grading service’s plastic holders.

The 1997-D cent realized $274.12, which included the buyer’s premium.

Connect with Coin World:  
Sign up for our free eNewsletter
Access our Dealer Directory  
Like us on Facebook  
Follow us on X (Twitter)

Whether you’re a current subscriber or new, you can take advantage of the best offers on magazine subscriptions available in digital, print or both! Whether you want your issue every week or every month, there’s a subscription to meet your needs.