"Black" 1984-D Penny

[N-7362]

We have a 1984-D penny that appears to be an unplated zinc coin. As you can see in the photos this penny is also thicker than a normal penny and slightly larger than a normal penny. It weighs 2.55 grams though it's missing the copper plating.

What are we looking at?

[occnumis2021]

after looking at some legit unplated zinc cents, all of the ones i looked at anyway had luster bands and for all intensive purposes looked just like plated ones, minus the plating. yours from the images does not appear to be one unless it is AND has been abused. i'm not real strong in determining this type of thing from lesser images but i'll go with my gut and the odds and say it isn't. we'll see what others say.

[MintErrors]

In my opinion, It's well circulated. With that comes prior neglect. To me it looks like it was possibly in the ground. Then some one found it, and attempted to harshly clean the obverse, probably in an attempt to see the date. Some of the east-west scratches, I believe can be seen on Lincoln himself.

The reverse looks similar in color, it probably was all the way in the ground. The scratches and "M.O." appear the same. Scratches east west and the highest points of the obverse and reverse flattened.

It doesn't have the true look of a " black beauty" or an improperly annealed coin. It doesn't have any hint of copper like one would find on most of the missing clad layer on the obverse, which is concerning. Again, being well circulated, I an very skeptical of coins like this.

[N-7362]

This coin was taken out of general circulation (literally pocket change) and it's been in a jar of pennies for quite some time. Definitely is a circulated coin. There's no trace of copper plating. It's been washed with a gentle dish soap and water, but there's no way to know what's happened to it in the decades prior. What do you make of the greater thickness and diameter?