Marci M. writes: I have a 1947 silver cent and I was wondering where I might find the value (if any) of this coin.
There were never silver cents minted in the United States. So, what could you have?
1. A cent struck on a dime planchet (blank). A silver dime blank (dimes were silver until 1964) got mixed up with the cent blanks. Since a dime is smaller than a cent, the main characteristic of this error is that the outer parts of the design are missing. In addition, it would weigh only 2.5 grams, instead of the 3.11 gram normal weight of a Lincoln cent of that time (1909-1982). This error is quite scarce. Value Range: $200 -$300.
2. A plated cent. Plating cents or other coins with gold or silver is often used in promotions. The coins are usually given away along with a coupon or other advertising material. The plating gets the attention of the consumer. These have no collector value.
You can confirm that your coin has been plated simply by weighing it on a gram scale and comparing it to the weights above. If your coin weighs 2.5 grams, I strongly recommend that you submit it to one of the grading services for authentication.
