electromagnetically "shrinking coins"

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by john65999, Sep 19, 2021.

  1. john65999

    john65999 Well-Known Member

    http://www.capturedlightning.com/frames/shrinkergallery.html

    this company manufactures and sells lightning, captured in acrylic blocks as well as shrinks coins using intense magnetic forces...though of no numismatic importance, thought it was interesting along the same vein as those "irradiated" dimes of the 50's and 60's
     
    calcol, bradgator2, Dearborn and 2 others like this.
  2. Avatar

    Guest User Guest



    to hide this ad.
  3. GoOoldmember

    GoOoldmember Smoke and a pancake?

    Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting.
    InsistentSleepyAnura-max-1mb.gif Kennedyf1.jpg coins4.jpg
     
  4. Dearborn

    Dearborn Above average collector - Is that an Error?

    Interesting stuff. Thanks for posting this up.
     
  5. bradgator2

    bradgator2 Well-Known Member

    The “lightning trees” are called Lichtenberg Figures.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lichtenberg_figure

    I’m a physicist who works on linear accelerators and have had the opportunity to make some of these before removing some equipment. Mine are crude.

    They can happen in nature with a real lightning bolt or even downed power line:

    [​IMG]
     
  6. bradgator2

    bradgator2 Well-Known Member

    There is a page linked in the website in the OP that explains the coin shrinkage: high-velocity electromagnetic forming. Fascinating.

    “A shrunken coin weighs exactly the same as it did before shrinking. As the coin's diameter shrinks, it becomes correspondingly thicker, but its volume and density remain the same.”
     
    john65999 and calcol like this.
  7. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    When I first learned about this, I was all hot to try it myself, until I discovered:

    1) The capacitors I have on hand won't work at all, and the ones that do work are furniture-sized (weighing hundreds of pounds) and cost thousands of dollars.

    2) The coil you use to shrink the coin explodes violently during the process.

    It's all a bit too much excitement for me. I'm a cheapskate, and I hate loud noises.
     
    Kentucky and john65999 like this.
  8. manny9655

    manny9655 Well-Known Member

    Is it possible to create a Lichtenberg figure using a Tesla coil?
     
  9. bradgator2

    bradgator2 Well-Known Member

    The whole concept is to dump a MASSIVE amount of electrons into an insulator (the pretty acrylic pieces). Then immediately afterwards, you tap the side of the acrylic with a nail and hammer. All those electrons that dont want to be there instantly escape through the nail. The pattern left in the acrylic are the escape paths of those electrons.

    So the question is: can your Tesla coil dump enough electrons into a piece of acrylic?

    The follow-up question would be: well how many electrons does it take?

    I dont know the answer to that. All I know is it's a lot. I dont think any kind "toy" or off the shelf device would be able to do it.
     
    manny9655 likes this.
  10. Oldhoopster

    Oldhoopster Member of the ANA since 1982

    Darn electrons. They're always so negative. :banghead: :facepalm:
     
    manny9655, john65999 and Mountain Man like this.
  11. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Very cool! The English and French mints have made piedfort (aka piefort) coins, which are double thickness, for collectors. Now they don’t have to use double thick planchets; they can just shrink the diameter and increase the thickness of regular coins magnetically.:)

    Cal
     
    john65999 likes this.
  12. calcol

    calcol Supporter! Supporter

    Yeah, big high voltage capacitors are very dangerous. The link below shows an extreme case. But high voltage capacitors smaller than a beer can can hold a lethal amount of energy. And yes, folks have been killed by them.

    Cal

     
    john65999 likes this.
  13. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Supporter! Supporter

    Wonder what would explode first if they tried a Zincoln? LOL
     
    Kentucky likes this.
  14. manny9655

    manny9655 Well-Known Member

    However many Mr. Coulomb says....
     
  15. manny9655

    manny9655 Well-Known Member

    Were they incapacitortated or decapitated? Joking aside, even smaller capacitors can give you a pretty good shock. Just don't hook up an electrolytic or tantalum capacitor backwards unless you have safety glasses on, or else, kaboom and you could lose an eye or be seriously injured. I've dealt with some idiot assemblers that sometimes can't read polarity signs or don't care...
     
    john65999 likes this.
  16. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Didja ever get stung by one of those...
     
    john65999 likes this.
  17. john65999

    john65999 Well-Known Member

    vidoe does play if you click on youtube link
     
  18. manny9655

    manny9655 Well-Known Member

    No but I have seen them in action several times. The CEO of a company I used to work for built one that put out about 50,000 volts
     
    john65999 and Kentucky like this.
  19. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    We used one to check for leaks on seals we made on a vacuum line and I have hit my thumb several times...makes you squeek!
     
    manny9655 likes this.
  20. bradgator2

    bradgator2 Well-Known Member

    Atoms are worse. They make up everything.
     
  21. john65999

    john65999 Well-Known Member

    their article said they explode in a liquid metal mess
     
Draft saved Draft deleted

Share This Page