So, I'm an amateur coin collector. Today, I came into some money, so I went to my local bank and got $200 in nickels so I can search for war nickels. In one of the rolls, I found a 1912 V Nickel! Not bad, eh? In the same roll I found the V Nickel, I found an odd Jefferson nickel. This nickel is a 2008-D. It would probably grade around AU-58. It has a normal obverse with no issues. The reverse, however, looks copper. It has all of the fine details of Monticello present, such as all of the banisters in the railing along the roof, so it doesn't look like it had any post-mint alterations done to it, like some kid smashing a penny into it. I'm wondering if this could be an error of some kind. Odd.....copper-nickel obverse, copper reverse.
Hi. Can you please post a picture? You will get a much more accurate response. Thats awesome about the vnickel!
I don't really have a good camera, and my scanner is in a sleeping family member's bedroom.... Try this on for size!
Well. Your picture is not very good, as you probably know. It is possible it is missing a clad layer on the reverse. Which would make it a nice find. Are you able to weigh it?
My scale is not high quality, so take its measurements with a grain of salt. 4.95 g .159 ozt 3.18 dwt 76.2 gn
It should weigh 5 grams, and I do not know the tolerance. edit: Wanted to add, I have never seen a Jefferson nickel missing a clad layer. I'm sure someone else wil lchime in on this thread.
From your weights, it appears to not be missing a layer because a nickel weighs 5 grams and yours weighed in at 4.95 and if it was missing a layer, id think it would weigh less than .05 than if it was a normal nickel.
I can't really do much more to help... Its the same size and thickness as a normal nickel. The obverse is copper-nickel. The edge on the reverse is copper-nickel. The edge is copper-nickel. The face of the reverse is copper.
I think may be due to sintering during annealing. Nickels are 75% copper and overexposure can cause the metals to rearrange and the copper may surface. Most cases I have seen have been on both sides though. Also chemicals or even the environment are capable of this effect especially if exposed only on the one side. I cannot explain the weight issue though unless the scale is reading a little off as he said the scale is not high quality.
Tolerance on the five cent piece is rather loose, I believe something like +/-.25 grams. 4.95 is WELL within tolerance.
Possibly plated outside the Mint. However, it could also be an improperly annealed planchet. Only a close inspection can tell which it is.
An interesting Jefferson. Could it be toning? Hard to tell from those scans. And great find on the Lib Nick! Haven't seen one of those in circulation in.... well....ever.
