
01/11/2025
Museum Monday’s Mystery was a counterfeit large cent from the mid 19th century. It is less dense and has cracks in the metal that should not be on a copper cent, even if corroded. Although this corrosion damage obscures some details, they appear to be softer than they should be, as if cast and not struck. I have included 2 photos of some large cents I have found metal detecting in various conditions to compare. I would guess it’s made from a white metal alloy like pewter.
It seems silly today to go through the trouble to counterfeit a cent. But we have to remember the US Mint used to make a profit making coins, even the cent. Where there’s profit to be made, there’s always a way for unscrupulous individuals looking to cash in. The cost of copper declined in the 1840s due to copper mines being developed in upper Michigan. In the late 1840s, the US Mint was making a profit of more than 40%, issuing cents at a rate of 41.7 cents per pound.
More info here
https://www.numismaticnews.net/archive/counterfeit-cent-story-unusual-one
This fake large cent was found on the site of an old settlement in Hastings, New York. It was donated with other items from the site by Brian Young in 2019.
Speaking of copper mines in Upper Michigan, next weeks mystery item may have originated there as well.