Irradiated Mercury Dime

Well, I could swear that there was a thread about these coins, but after many key word searches, I only came up with one mention of these coins from a post by Drusus from May of last year.

I remember reading the thread about these a while back and so today when I was in my local coin shop I saw one of the assistants searching through a box of junk coins that someone brought in. Tons of people walk in everyday with "grandpa's" collection of old coins - which are all circulated - but you will never know what you will find.... just see my post from the other day titled "I didn't win again" (haven't learned how to link previous threads yet) Anyway, I saw this and asked him how much? At first he said $3, but then said take it. Sweet! Heck, I gave them half my paycheck last week - all I have left is my right kidney and a pint of blood and my wife has dibs on that!!! Anyway, I stole the post that Drusus wrote last may along with his link. Here it is:

http://www.orau.org/ptp/collection/m...toes/dimes.htm

"One of the most popular exhibits in the American Museum of Atomic Energy is a "dime irradiator." To date, more than 250,000 dimes have been irradiated, encased in plastic and returned to their owners as souvenirs. The irradiator works as follows: A mixture of radioactive antimony and beryllium is enclosed in a lead container. Gamma rays from the antimony are absorbed by the beryllium atoms and a neutron is expelled by the beryllium atom in the process.

These neutrons, having no electrical charge, penetrate silver atoms in the dime. Instead of remaining normal silver-109, they become radioactive silver-110. After irradiation, the dime is dropped out through a slot in the lead container and rests momentarily before a Geiger tube so that its radioactivity may be demonstrated. It is then encased in the souvenir container. Radioactive silver, with a half-life of 22 seconds, decays rapidly to cadmium-110 (In 22 seconds, half of the radioactivity in each dime is gone, in another 22 seconds half the remainder goes, and so on until all the silver-110 has become cadmium). Only an exceedingly minute fraction of the silver atoms have been made radioactive."

Here are my pics:

 

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Those are cool. I have not run across one but I would buy one (at the right price).

 

How about free? I will keep my eyes open for one for you - but I don't think I will be lucky the second time around. All he originally wanted was $3. Didn't think that was bad. I had never seen one at the shop until today.

 

http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=33940&highlight=cool+trinket


Congrats !
They're cool !

 

That is deffinatly something different LOL I wonder if I should try and find one for my dime collection Yeh why not after much deliberating LOL

 

I wonder how involved it would be to detect the cadmium, or if the quantity is too small to detect it using non-destructive means.

 

THANKS ROTOBEAST! Way to go. I knew I wasn't crazy. That was the thread. Thanks for linking it. Joe

 

Those are neat pieces. I've looked and only found them on Ebay, but they're going for 20-50 dollars there! And thats for common 50's and 60's Roosevelts. Guess I'll have to hold off for a cheaper find.
Guy~

 

Kind a cool. If I had one of those I could tell everybody that what is making my hair fall out.

 

No problem, jaceravone.


I bought mine off of eBay for about $5.

Anyone wanting one, just keep an eye out, they go low sometimes.

 

I have one for sale on eBay right now. See: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230610714955

 

After much deliberating? AFTER MUCH DELIBERATING??!!!
You did not even spend a week thinking about it.

 

I have a 1918 encased irradiated dime. I don't know what it's worth. Most irradiated dimes I've seen are from the 40's. I've seen nothing this old. Does anyone know anything about this. Thank you.

 

The irradiated dimes were created as a souvenir by the general public visiting Oak Ridge , or exhibits they had at a couple of events. The dimes came from the visitors pocket change so they could be any date before the creation of that particular souvenir. These were made in the late 40's early 50's through at least 1967. They aren't worth a lot but I would think a early dated coin like yours would be worth a little more. There are at least four different type holders for these items. A large plastic holder and the other three are small quarter sized aluminum holders with a white ring and a clear plastic cover. There are two different inscriptions for the white ring, and one of them comes with two different colors for the printing.

From the 1964 worlds fair


Museum of Atomic energy
Black letters


Blue letters. Note the letters are smaller as well.


No image of the fourth variety but the inscription mentions Oak Ridge.

 

Im guessing there wouldnt be any premium above a 1918 dime, since these can easily be popped out and have the coin swapped out

 

I have one of these with the blue letters. We have another one at the shop.

 

Does anyone have an image of one with the Oak Ridge inscription?

 

I have one that I’m pretty sure is in the black letter holder. I do know that I paid $27 for it but I’d never seen one so no research whatsoever. Come to think of it, I’ve bought a lot of stuff with no research.

 

Ive had several of these but, never had one in this nice of shape. Just thought I'd share. Enjoy

 

At the Univ. of KY while I was an undergraduate student, they had a neutron activation apparatus that was probably the best in the United States. One of the first samples of moon rock was sent to Prof. Eckstrom there to do an elemental analysis. The sample was irradiated and the elements that were made radioactive were analyzed for by the radiation they gave off. The amount of material that is lost was so small that it was considered a non-destructive analysis.