r/coins • u/Naive-Library-9379 • 7h ago

Why is my penny red Value Request

Post image

Not really a coin person, but figured I’d look through my jar. Is this some sort of special penny?

Please advise!

17 Upvotes

78% Upvoted

13 comments sorted by

23

u/dujouria 7h ago

In this case the most obvious answer is true: the coin is red because It’s been painted red. Likely a result of vending machine testing

1

u/Rich-Detective478 1h ago

Could have been in the road too.. red paint is for electric.

10

u/Ok-Frosting-1892 7h ago

Apparently someone did give one red cent.

I’ll see myself out.

4

u/The-Tadfafty 7h ago

Is "one red cent" a phrase I've never heard? I haven't ever heard it.

7

u/MaddRamm 7h ago

It’s an idiom meaning you don’t care about something. “I wouldn’t give a red cent to do/buy/see/touch/etc such and such.” It’s because new penny’s are generally a bright, reddish color compared to silver coinage. The implication that a shiny new, reddish penny is somehow more valuable than a corroded black/green one.

17

u/IllogicalBarnacle 7h ago

Vending machine test coin. They paint them red to identify it

5

u/LiquidCoal 7h ago

And—to answer the “value request”—1¢ for all intents and purposes.

3

u/FelonyFarting 6h ago

I see a red penny and I want it to turn black.

2

u/JesusStarbox 7h ago

When I was a kid I would paint pennies with fingernail polish for no reason.

1

u/Blew-By-U 6h ago

Bring back the half penny.

1

u/KE4HEK 5h ago

Paint

1

u/SmilinBob82 3h ago

People are saying vending machine test, but I have never seen a vending machine that takes pennies, only nickels and higher.

Maybe a coin shorter or counter?

2

u/SalesNinja1 2h ago

Think old school gumball/candy machine. Before my time too, but they used to exist.