Silver 3-cent weighs in at less than 1 gram

Do any of our coins weigh less than 1 gram?

Do any of our coins weigh less than 1 gram?

To put this answer in perspective, there are 31.103 grams in a troy ounce. The single coin that fits your specification is the silver 3-cent. Those dated 1851-1853 weigh eight-tenths of a gram. The 1854-1873 dates weigh three-fourths of a gram.


Why was the aluminum cent dropped in 1974?

The light coins were met with disapproval from the vending machine industry, which claimed the coins were too light to operate the vending machines. Also cited were poor appearance and an excessive amount of energy needed to strike them.


Was Newfoundland always a part of Canada?

Newfoundland was separate until 1949, when it became a part of Canada. The province was discovered in 1497 by John Cabot.


Just where were Upper and Lower Canada?

Upper Canada consisted mostly of the southern section of the present province of Ontario. Lower Canada, which was down river, was made up of the southern section of present-day Quebec.


When and where was gold discovered in the Yukon?

The official discovery site was on Sayyea Creek in the southeastern Yukon in 1874.


Are there any accurate statistics on the number of misstrikes that get out of the Mint?

This is a recurring problem with each new error report, as collectors and dealers regularly ask for specific numbers for various minting varieties. The overlooked point here is that if the minting varieties had been spotted, and counted by Mint workers, they would never have left the mint that made them. The fact that they are in circulation is proof that they were uncounted.
One fairly accurate study conducted a number of years ago involved 400 bags, or 2 million cents. Done in the early 1970s, the survey showed 26 misstrikes, including 12 clips of 10 percent or less, nine unstruck planchets, four off center strikes and a single double strike.


Didn’t the 1876 Bicentennial of the United States pass pretty much unnoticed?

With memories of the hoopla surrounding the 1976 Bicentennial this question is a stopper, but the anniversary did receive relatively little recognition despite being a significant piece of our history. The important date, when the United States became a sovereign nation, occurred when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify the Constitution on June 21, 1788.

I have two restrikes of a 1915 Austrian coin. One of the pieces is obviously gold, while the other is billon. Is this possible?

I would seriously doubt it. The latter piece is very probably a counterfeit.

Address questions to Coin Clinic, Numismatic News, 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990. Because of space limitations, we are unable to publish all questions. Include a loose 44-cent stamp for reply. Write first for specific mailing instructions before submitting numismatic material. We cannot accept unsolicited items. E-mail inquiries should be sent to Answerman2@aol.com.