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KaleoXxX
Well-Known Member
http://www.wisegeek.com/what-is-a-gold-penny.htm
"Generally, when people talk about a gold penny, they are talking about a normal penny that has been treated to give it a gold color. In some cases, however, a penny may actually have been plated with gold. And in some even rarer cases, a penny may have been struck accidentally on a blank of the wrong metal. The gold penny is also the name given to an ancient British coin, worth twenty pence.
Creating a gold penny is a common science experiment, especially at the primary and secondary school levels. Many teachers use it to discuss the ancient study of alchemy, and how that relates to modern chemistry. It also demonstrates some basic concepts of chemistry, while providing a concrete result that students can take home, and which can be quite exciting to younger students.
To make a gold penny at home, you’ll need a normal copper penny, a Bunsen burner, and a mixture of sodium hydroxide and zinc. You will also want to wear proper safety equipment, including goggles and gloves, and have a pair of tongs to handle the penny. Sodium hydroxide can be very dangerous if mishandled, so it’s important to take care at every step of the way. Children wanting to make a gold penny should ask an adult or teacher for help.
The zinc and sodium hydroxide mixture should be placed in a vessel and put on top of the Bunsen burner. It should remain on the heat until it begins to boil, at which point the normal copper penny can be dropped into the mixture. It should stay in the mixture for two to three minutes, and then should be removed with tongs, and allowed to dry on a paper towel. The color at this point should be roughly silver, as the zinc has formed a thin layer on the outside of the copper.
Next, the silver penny should be held with tongs over the direct heat of the Bunsen burner until the color changes. Once the silver penny begins to transform into a gold penny, it should be removed from the heat and placed on a non-flammable surface to cool. The penny will now appear to be a gold penny, though in fact all that has happened is that the heat has caused the zinc to mix with the copper. This essentially forms the metal known as brass, which is commonly mistaken for gold, although it is much less yellow and has an entirely different consistency. So the gold penny most people create can more accurately be described as a brass penny."
"Generally, when people talk about a gold penny, they are talking about a normal penny that has been treated to give it a gold color. In some cases, however, a penny may actually have been plated with gold. And in some even rarer cases, a penny may have been struck accidentally on a blank of the wrong metal. The gold penny is also the name given to an ancient British coin, worth twenty pence.
Creating a gold penny is a common science experiment, especially at the primary and secondary school levels. Many teachers use it to discuss the ancient study of alchemy, and how that relates to modern chemistry. It also demonstrates some basic concepts of chemistry, while providing a concrete result that students can take home, and which can be quite exciting to younger students.
To make a gold penny at home, you’ll need a normal copper penny, a Bunsen burner, and a mixture of sodium hydroxide and zinc. You will also want to wear proper safety equipment, including goggles and gloves, and have a pair of tongs to handle the penny. Sodium hydroxide can be very dangerous if mishandled, so it’s important to take care at every step of the way. Children wanting to make a gold penny should ask an adult or teacher for help.
The zinc and sodium hydroxide mixture should be placed in a vessel and put on top of the Bunsen burner. It should remain on the heat until it begins to boil, at which point the normal copper penny can be dropped into the mixture. It should stay in the mixture for two to three minutes, and then should be removed with tongs, and allowed to dry on a paper towel. The color at this point should be roughly silver, as the zinc has formed a thin layer on the outside of the copper.
Next, the silver penny should be held with tongs over the direct heat of the Bunsen burner until the color changes. Once the silver penny begins to transform into a gold penny, it should be removed from the heat and placed on a non-flammable surface to cool. The penny will now appear to be a gold penny, though in fact all that has happened is that the heat has caused the zinc to mix with the copper. This essentially forms the metal known as brass, which is commonly mistaken for gold, although it is much less yellow and has an entirely different consistency. So the gold penny most people create can more accurately be described as a brass penny."
smalltownfella
Member
I actually electroplate coins for fun. Usually I electroplate (gold plate) Quarters, Nickles, Dimes, 50 cent pieces, and silver Dollars. I was interested in the penny. When I process a coin I first strip the plating off of it using electricity and chrome stripping solution, then apply Nickle activator and then apply liquid 18k gold. Kids love em! Some adults too. Unfortunately, like growing certain plants, defacing currency is illegal. Oh well....
gogrow
confused
unless someone cast it themselves, which I doubt sincerely, then it is just plated...... There are NO gold, american pennies!......
the only variation you will find on the copper/alluminum copper plated pennies are the steel pennies from 1943
akgrown
Well-Known Member
sorry bout the bump rollitup is been acting funny latly. I looked in myrollitup and it said no view so i checked toke n talk and it wasnt even there. Thanks for all your help, hearing this it probably is electro plated because it is shiny. I knew there coulndt be a gold penny from 67' shiny as new in the bottom of my change jar.