I have seen many modified coins through the years, but this one is a little weird to me. Is it just the result of someone who was bored, or is it something else? The Weird Dime Weight: 2.02 grams (not 2.27g) Diameter: 16.4mm (not 17.9mm) Edge: Plain Overall Composition: 85% copper and 15% nickel (Tested with a Niton XRF Analyzer) Musings If this is merely a modified dime… …then why the weight difference? …then why the composition difference? If this is merely a modified dime that is missing it’s outer cladding… …then why is it still 15% nickel? Any friendly wisdom appreciated. It is not my expertise. I've just been steadily digging through my miscellaneous acquisitions piles and came across it again. Many thanks! [The images are a bit dodgy -- my apologies. I tried to use a camera on this dark and low-contrast coin and just couldn't get any reasonable shots. Oh, the shame...]
This is Post Strike Damage The reason it looks the way it does is because it was stuck in a dryer for a very long time. This is what is called a Dryer Coin. It tumbled over and over until the edge kind of mushed itself. The discoloration was created by the intense heat.
Why, thank you. I have seen a fair amount of dryer coins, but never one with so consistent a rim. Any casual thoughts as to why it is 85% copper and 15% nickel? [My apologies if I have chosen the forum for this post poorly. No offense intended.]
As I stated before.. the extreme heat discolored the clad layer. It's a normal Dime that was scorched.
Your picture of "dryer coins" has a few clad dimes that definitely don't look "scorched". That's not a good answer for a 85% copper/15% nickel composition.
I'm not sure if we can be confident that the clad is as homogenous now as it was from the Mint after what it's been through, or even if it wasn't "off" to begin with. Might be possible that the XRF was reading straight through the clad, and catching some of the core., depending on the vertical depth of the scan.
