What in the world is going on here. Bizarre 1935 quarter HELP!

Any clue as to what is up here? The cupped rim I’ve seen before but the pitted surface is weird. It weighs 5.79g which is shy of the typical 6.2g. Was this damaged in a fire? Is it counterfeit? Is it from an alien’s pocket?
Thanks!

 

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Cast counterfeit?

 

But why???

 

To use as currency? I'm guessing in 1935 it would have been more worthwhile to counterfeit quarters. But who knows?

 

That goo on the reverse from 2-4 o'clock doesn't look right.
I'm going to assume it is not made out of silver.
Where did you get this piece?

 

Absolutely cast. And I would bet it is contemporary. Somebody's last ditch effort to get a little bread for his family.

 

That’s a good question. I was cleaning up my coin desk and it emerged from the wreckage.

 

Do contemporary counterfeits carry any value?

 

Have you conducted a magnet test and/or weighed it?

 

Looks like a dryer coin plus some kind of other damage to me.

 

I genuinely do not know.

 

Does the edge have a seam or a casting sprue? Some contemporary counterfeits can have value. I have an 1861 dime probably worth more than a real one in the same condition. This (https://www.seateddimevarieties.com/FS_Lists/bogo.htm) shows a listing of one for $65. There's a book called Bad Metal that might have info on yours. I'm not sure if it covers Washington quarters though. You could try contacting Winston Zack through the website. https://www.badmetalcoin.com/product-page/bad-metal-silver-3cs-to-25c

 

That’s a crudely casted counterfeit. If you could get a job in the ‘30s, during the Great Depression, 25 cents was an hour’s wages or more.

Base metal counterfeits also did not stand up as well as silver coins did. It didn’t take much to dent or wear them.

 

I ran into a dealer site on the Internet who was buying and selling them. Technically they are illegal, but old, contemporary pieces seem to get a pass.

 

I think you should put it in a flip and label it counterfeit so there is
no attempt at any kind of illegal profiteering. I imagine it may be worth
a dollar or so but like anything condition is everything (except Henning's)
and the quality of this piece is poor.

 

I wonder what a vending machine would do with that ?

 

Well in the old days with a mechanical set up, the slug would just have to fit the slot for it to work. Pay phone, parking meter, tolls, subway tokens,
pop machines, etc.
Now, things are more sophisticated and the coin must be the right weight,
size and metal content.
This coin would be rejected by, self serve machine, Coin Star etc.
As a counterfeit it has some value above "face" anyway.

 

Yeah, I've gotten a slug or two out of the Aldi cart slots.

In the 1930s, a quarter was well worth the effort to counterfeit. Today, it's the new cent.

 

It would have to be in a dryer continuously for 90 years to look THAT bad.
Austin Powers emerges from the time capsule!

 

I don't shop at Aldis. I'd keep a can of quarters in my truck just so I could leave my shopping cart in the handicapped parking space.