Pennsylvania collector Anatoly Omelchenko’s diligence and cherrypicking perseverance paid off recently with the discovery of a 1983 Lincoln cent struck on a defective bronze planchet instead of the intended copper-plated zinc.

Omelchenko’s interest was piqued after reading an article I wrote that was posted Oct. 5, 2018, on the Coin World website (at www.coinworld.com/news/us-coins/collector-finds-1983-bronze-cent-in-circulation.html).

The article delved into a transitional bronze 1983 Lincoln cent that a Washington, D.C., collector discovered in September 2018 while searching paper-wrapped 50-coin rolls of small cents.

In a March 9 email to Coin World, Omelchenko noted, “I recently had a 1983 Lincoln cent certified by [Professional Coin Grading Service] as struck on a ‘Defective Bronze Planchet,’ weighing 2.87 grams. ... 1983 cents were supposed to be struck on copper-plated zinc planchets weighing about 2.5 grams, which makes this example unusual.

“What makes the story even more interesting is that the coin was originally submitted to [Numismatic Guaranty Co.], where the Mint error was not identified and the coin was encapsulated simply as [About Uncirculated] Details. Because the weight and unusual granular surfaces suggested something different, I later submitted it to PCGS, where the defective bronze planchet attribution was confirmed.

“The reverse of the coin shows a pronounced granular texture consistent with porosity in the metal strip, and the coin weighs significantly less than the typical ~3.11 grams seen on known bronze cents of this era.”

Road to discovery

Omelchenko explains he originally discovered the error cent while searching through cents and noticed the unusual weight and the granular surface texture on the reverse.

Omelchenko said he was simply doing a regular coin search, as he often goes through cents looking for interesting varieties or errors.

He also runs a small YouTube channel, www.youtube.com/@Rock-n-PennyRoll.Coinhunting, where he records some of his searches and documents interesting finds.

Because of the unusual weight of his find and the granular surfaces on the reverse, Omelchenko submitted the find to NGC.

“The coin was encapsulated as ‘AU Details – Obverse Scratched,’ and the Mint error was not attributed at that time,” according to Omelchenko.

Error coin specialists contacted by Coin World conclude Omelchenko’s find could be worth several thousands of dollars.

After Omelchenko received the coin back, he “continued researching it because the weight (2.87 grams) and the surface characteristics appeared unusual for a normal cent of that period. As part of that process, I contacted NGC for clarification. In a reply from their customer service team, they explained that their team had determined the coin did not qualify as a Mint error under their standards and that the Details grade was assigned due to the scratches on the obverse.

“Later, in a follow-up message, NGC also clarified that the weight was measured as part of their normal evaluation process, but that it was not a factor in the grade that was assigned.

“Because the weight and appearance still suggested something unusual to me, I later submitted the coin to PCGS for evaluation.

“PCGS subsequently certified the coin as ‘Genuine – AU Details, Defective Bronze Planchet,’ confirming that the coin was struck on a defective bronze planchet rather than the copper-plated zinc planchets normally used for 1983 cents.”

Omelchenko continued, “...While most known bronze cents are around 3.11 grams, this example weighs approximately 2.87 grams, and the reverse shows a pronounced granular texture consistent with irregularities in the metal of the planchet.”