Got this today, don't know what it is, details on these pictures are poor but its a Lincoln Wheat on a very very thin copper looking round? Any ideas? The picture of the sides the coin on the right is this coin, a standard wheat on the left.
The acid attacks the whole surface fairly evenly so the details remain visible even as it gets thinner and thinner. it does get smaller in diameter as well though so eventually the rims do disappear and it gets into the tops of the lettering around the rim.
I believe I stated that one of the causes of this is a school experiment showing the effect of acid on copper. This coin may have been sacrificed in the name of science.
Let's put it this way... I've soaked Lincoln cents in acid, coated them with mercury, had 'em flatten by a train, metal stamped them, shot 'em with a .22, cut them in half, squeezed two together in a vice, painted them and otherwise destroyed them. Guess I'm an idiot. :smile
That would be interesting.:smile But different coins at different times over the past sixty years or so... I've probably destroyed close to a hundred Lincoln cents. It's a wonder I can sleep at night.
Yep... it's definitely a financial burden. Destroying Lincoln cents is a nasty job, but someone has to do it.