1978 Copper Washington Quarter

Do you carefully only touch it by the edges?

 

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Have you ever picked up a gopher tortoise? Some of them can weigh 40-50 lbs. It's not easy trying to carry one while keeping it away from you. They pee a lot when they're bothered.

Chris

 

I'm just surprised that this thread has gone over 80 posts and not once has a Moderator made any comments concerning some of them

 

They all fell asleep

 

Michele , I found same in my collection..appears to be copper..1978 d

 

Can you get a warning for something you said 2 years ago?

 

It looks like a metal detector find, I know that's what was discussed way back when but having metal detected for over 20 years I would scrub change before I would carry it to spend, I know the date and corresponding history of copper quarters ( or missing the clad layer) is a good argument so I say vote on it

 

Did you read any of thr responses in this thread. Environmental Damage.

And Michele hasn't been seen since Oct 2017

 

I found one in my collection too, mine is in a little better shape than the one pictured here.

I’ll post a new thread with photos

 

I'm going to go out on a limb and say it is worth a quarter.
First you need to weigh it.
Second, is the copper only on one side or both sides?
Be sure to post a clear large photo of both sides AND THE EDGE.
Kreskin says: It's most likely environmental damage, and spent some time in the ground before it was recovered, spent, and you received in change. I find them all the time, and I receive them in change all the time.
There are error quarters with clad layer missing, and copper exposed, but these are very rare.

 

I believe my introduction post covers all these questions.
Would absolutely love your input about the photos showing the weight, the copper on both sides and on the edge. Thanks in advance!

 

Generally, if it is showing copper on both sides it is environmentally damaged. It's not copper, it's rust, oxidation.
Also, if the weight is normal (5.67grams) also ED and not an error.
Missing clad error is generally on one side and the coin will be light.

 

None of that totally sums up these photos
https://www.cointalk.com/threads/hello-coin-peeps.322596/

 

Environmental damage. As already explained in that thread.

 

These quarters have a missing clad layer. Look at the copper compared to yours.
Also these will weigh light. (4.5g? I forget the number.)

 

Perhaps I don’t understand the coin making process enough to distinguish what the missing “clad” is.
I’m very curious about the weight 5.3g
I just know this coin does not have any surface obstructions, feels like a penny, weighs less and is thinner than a quarter from the same year. The weight difference is displayed in the photos.

I do work with rusty objects almost every day, this coin is discolored but I don’t see a spec of “rust” on it. However, i will have it looked over by a geologist friend to see if he suspects the discoloration is from oxidation.
Thanks for the insights

 

Someone mentioned missing clad is usually one side.
So how does that 2002 coin have copper on both sides?

 

Because it's not copper on both sides, that's rust, environmental damage.
If it was missing both clad layers it would be incredibly thin and light. 3g or less.
As for the 5.3g quarter, it's a little light, a little below tolerance, but that can happen several ways. Circulation wear can take a little weight off. Acid or other factors will eat some of the metal away.
Sometimes the planchet (the blank the coin is minted on) can be rolled a little thin,
and weigh a little less. That would be an error, but I don't think your coin has that.
It's probably just a form of damage, which is the most common reason for any of this.

As for the clad layers, the coin has a copper core and it is sandwiched by clad layers, made of copper and nickel (the silvery color on both sides).
Your coin is just environmentally damaged. Water, air, soil, pollutants all of these things will make the silvery color get that dirty color, especially if it has been in the ground for a little while. It's not copper,
which has a very distinct bright copper color.

 

Those are two different quarters, one is a 2002 and the other is 1999