Genuine error? No copper on edge 1999 Pennsylvania Quarter

Discussion in 'Error Coins' started by Kurisu, Jan 26, 2021.

  1. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    Yes, I know people have asked about these on threads here in the past...
    But I'm not like other people :borg: I'm kidding, I'm totally like other people :joyful::watching:

    This came out of a Loomis roll search today. So I was debating which forum to use.
    First time I've come across one of these. I thought it was a silver when I opened the roll so I got a snapshot of that too.
    Yes, I'm totally aware of back in the day and the plated coins sold on TV. I remember it well. It's also obviously not silver as that would be over 6 grams for sure.

    Things to note...
    - The edge has wear and a few dings but no copper showing through.
    - You can clearly see what looks like a seam on the edge but no copper.
    - The edge matches the 'brightness' and look of the coin's faces.
    - Weight is 5.58 grams

    1999 No copper layer 4.jpg 1999 No copper layer 5.jpg 1999 No copper layer 3.jpg 1999 No copper layer 2.jpg 1999 No copper layer 1.jpg 1999 No copper layer 6.jpg
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2021
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  3. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    Often third parties plate quarters with platinum, then sell them at inflated prices. They aren't as reflective as silver coins, and they don't weigh more than normal clad coins (the plating is too thin to add measurable weight), but they do have that "single-color edge".

    Also, sometimes (but rarely), the punching process drags a clad layer entirely across the copper center layer, producing a coin that looks like it doesn't have any copper layer.
     
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  4. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    Thanks for the response!

    Well I would expect that if it's plated there would be copper showing in at least a tiny amount with the wear and dings...I see no copper, not even with a loupe.

    I'm not familiar with a punch causing the perfect drag over of clad...I find nothing about that error anywhere online so it must be exceedingly rare. But it seems unlikely (to me) based on the single squeeze in collar method used on modern quarters.
     
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  5. furham

    furham Good Ole Boy

    It's not silver. Silver would be much heavier.
     
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  6. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    Thanks but that is a given based on the weight...thanks for pointing that out! I'll make that more clear in my description to begin with.
     
    Last edited: Jan 26, 2021
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  7. Heavymetal

    Heavymetal Well-Known Member

    BD19C76A-806E-4030-B16B-96E2506FDB2E.jpeg E36A247E-BA37-4C1A-B8D8-F39FD2966C06.jpeg 949EBC4F-883D-49E1-9585-49494B735D58.jpeg Found my plated quarter CRH a few years ago
    Non-magnetic but very shiny
    I assume it is platinum plated, not silver or nickel plated
     
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  8. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Back when the state quarters had everybody's interest, Mike Mezack made himself a small fortune plating and selling these on his TV infomercials. I am sure once the years went on and the novelty wore off that they began going back into circulation. I am sure he peddled untold thousands of these plated state quarters back then.
     
  9. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    Yup, I was just starting college. Like I mentioned I'm fully aware of those...what I noticed right away was the fact that it has wear and dings on the edges but I'm not seeing any exposed copper...no matter how they were plated, that plating is likely incredibly thin....

    Being certain yours is plated...have you done the thing we don't do? :confused: And give an edge a bit of a sanding to see if you can expose some copper?!
     
  10. Fred Weinberg

    Fred Weinberg Well-Known Member

    It's plated - the weight gives it away.

    If you put a razor blade into one of the
    rececessed reeds, you'll see copper.

    (don't need to do that if you don't want to,
    as the weight says its a normal clad quarter)
     
  11. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    About to "razor" my first coin :brb: Thank you sir!
     
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  12. Fred Weinberg

    Fred Weinberg Well-Known Member

    You might have to cut it deep INSIDE,
    between, the two reeds, to be able to see
    the copper, but it should show easily.
     
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  13. furham

    furham Good Ole Boy

  14. Fred Weinberg

    Fred Weinberg Well-Known Member

  15. 51Caveman

    51Caveman Active Member

    I have a 99 Connecticut exactly like this! Found it roll searching and I thought the same thing at first. Silver! Nope. Weighed in at 5.57 grams. Has had me stumped til now. Bright and shiny but more like just a newish, uncirculated quarter. Not prooflike.
    upload_2021-1-27_10-57-7.jpeg
    Pictures not as good as yours but........
     
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  16. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    Thanks!!! I only remember seeing them on TV...I was off on the years a bit...I graduated college in '95 lol!!!
    I'll take a photo of mine with the razor blade hole in just a bit :nurse:
     
  17. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    Good old boy, is your 2000 set truly Platinum or plate? Thanks in advance, and thanks for the post Karisu
     
  18. furham

    furham Good Ole Boy

    Just plate.
     
  19. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    The platinum is thin, but ductile -- dent the coin, and it'll deform into the dent, within limits. And many of those dings may have been on the coin before it was plated. The folks who do the plating aren't at all picky about the coins they start with.

    From the straight-on photos you posted, it really, really looks like a plated coin. It's got the same kind of appearance around the devices, and I don't see any trace of luster -- plating tends to mute luster, because the surface of the plating doesn't retain as much fine texture as the underlying face.
     
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  20. Kurisu

    Kurisu Well-Known Member

    The deed is done! I just decided to really go for it for the benefit of the forum :)
    Also the quarter is not in fantastic condition so why the heck not make an example of this poor helpless coin, and myself?! :shame:
    Thank you @Fred Weinberg !

    Show me the coppero_O!!!
    Razored quarter edge close.jpg
    ...Confirmed.
    20210127_102826.jpg
    And...KIDS, DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME LOL! No really, don't!
     
  21. Mr.Q

    Mr.Q Well-Known Member

    Thanks Good Old Boy, and thank you for your service!
     
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