1982 (D) Lincoln Memorial Cent Blistered Plating

Description

This 1982 Denver Lincoln Memorial cent exhibits blistered plating, a condition unique to zinc-core cents where the thin copper plating separates from the underlying zinc core and forms raised bubbles or blisters on the coin's surface. The phenomenon occurs when moisture or microscopic contaminants become trapped between the zinc core and the copper plating layer during the manufacturing process at the mint. When these impurities are subjected to heat during striking or subsequent environmental exposure, they cause the plating to lift and balloon outward, creating characteristic dome-shaped blisters. On this specimen, bubbling is visible on both sides of the coin, with the obverse displaying particularly large circular blisters. The 1982 Lincoln cent holds special significance as the transitional year when the United States Mint changed the cent's composition from the traditional 95% copper alloy to copper-plated zinc, making early zinc cents from this date especially prone to plating irregularities as the new manufacturing process was refined. Both large date and small date varieties exist for 1982-D zinc cents.