1912-S Lincoln Cent: Improper Mix (Unmelted Fragments) or Strike through metal fragments?

Whichever it is, it was definitely on the planchet before the dies struck it (notice the lines on the hair with the haor design on top of it).

I'm thinking it's just an improper alloy mix and some of those pieces didn't melt properly.

What do you guys think? Also notice laminations where a few of those pieces possibly came out from.

 

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I am going with unmelted metal

 

Maybe gold?

 

I have heard of silver fragments struck into coins. Not sure about gold. Possible...

Better photos...

 

Another option is the metal fell onto the strip as it was being rolled. My gut feel says it's not an alloying issue but have no proof to back it up. If you could ID the metal, a little phase diagram work might point towards an explanation.

One other thing to do, is look at the boundary between the 2 metals. Do you see any undercutting in the parts where metal is missing? Is the boundary flat and continuous, or is there a small gap? You may need to use some high mag and may not be able to good pics.

My guess is that it is metal that fell on the strip during the rolling operation, but still open to other potential root causes

You mentioned in another post that you had a lot of contacts in the dealer community in your area. Now you need to start hanging around UB or some of the other Universities and make friends with people that run the SEM 10 min in an SEM/EDS would probably tell you everything you need to know

 

Well said. You can definitely see space between where the gold-like metal ends and the copper begins.

Actually, I am going Monday to have it scanned on a Fischerscope X-Ray Xan 250 machine. Results in a matter of hours!

 

For once I have complete confidence that a poster will do what he/she says . Looking forward to the results. And BTW, I love the overall condition of that cent.

Steve

 

I have always done so when I get the results. Last one was the results of a nickel webbing strip.

 

Being that the gold material is in a straight line pretty much, with a few tiny specs in other spots, probably likely was sitting on top.

It is a San Francisco Mint cent, so I guess gold is actually a good possibility

 

Got I few of these that stored just as a curiosity and what those golden streaks may be.

If you find out, please let us know.

 

Reminds me of this one, but I think it's just a woody

 

IMO, since the gold colored inclusion is in a straight line, and there may also be remnants of another line with inclusions above the 2 and by the shoulder, would make the likelihood of it being a strike through very low.

Some more gut feel. If the inclusions are bronze or brass, I don't think they would be present in the melt because that composition wouldnt precipitate into the matrix. (need to get a real metallurgy to confirm this). It would have to be dropped on the ingot/strip during rolling. If it's gold, then it might be able to survive intact and poured into the ingot or introduced during the rolling process.

FWIW, I think it's gold, but how much can you really tell from a pick.

@JCro57 when you do the XRF, don't get hung up on the trace elements. You're going to get copper, zinc and maybe tin from the bulk of the coin. If that's all you see compare the Zn and/or Sn levels to other areas of the coin. If you see Au, then it's a fine deal

 

Interesting coin. Have you tried to gently lift that material with a toothpick? I find it odd that all of the areas that appear to be gold, have what appears to be gouges before and after. I suppose they could be places where that material fell off. Have you tried an acetone dip? I hope you will post the results of the test. Good luck.

 

Staple scrape

 

Negative

 

It almost looks as if someone tried to repair this coin.
If someone was trying to spackle those holes since the 1912-S is a semi key,
why wouldn't they use molten copper? (Of course it's always best just to leave these things alone, but this attempted repair could be 50-100 years old.)

 

What I think you are burying the lead. what is a fischer scope x ray xan 250 ? Am I the only that does not know what that is. I must get out more what is the price for such a device?

 

Detects and calculates metallic composition of an object

 

I think the same thing. Just a heavy area of heavily coated zinc oxide if that is right. Even Zilncolns have a few years were the mix of alloys made the Brassy looking cents. 97 and 98.

 

Results...

82% Copper
3.2% Zinc
11.75% Tin
1.1% GOLD

The rest all scanned at .2% or less, and there were 11 others.

I believe that streak is in fact the gold.