Surprisingly or not, can't seem to find this anywhere. Is the copper core struck, then the bonding goes on, or are these struck after the bonding is on? Talking, of course, about the 95% copper cores, 5% bonded zinc/nickel circulation coins.
It's the same for all clad coins, not just Kennedy Halves. The coin strip is made by bonding the cupro-nickel layers to the copper core. Blanks are punched out and upset to creat planchets. Then the planchets are struck. OK - I'm confused after reading your question. Not sure if you are asking about Kennedy Halves or Zinc Cents. Zinc planchets are plated with copper before the coins are struck. Have I answered your question?
Let me read what you said, again, and I'll tell you... Well, yes and no? I really can't tell... Let me try a different approach, altogether. Do you see this silly looking thing? It's the copper core. What happens next? Is the "cupro-nickel" layer bonded to this, then the thing is struck, or is this copper core struck, then the cupro-nickel goes on? Really, this is why I want to know, Hobo...got one of these.
The copper blanks in your photo were punched out at the end of the strip where the clad layers were not bonded to the copper core. This is not normal at all. Copper core blanks are errors. Normal blanks have cupro-nickel clad layers because they are punched out of coin strip that is two layers of cupro-nickel bonded to a copper core. That is the critical point here. Does that make sense?
Oh yes! Hobo, the question was challenging the way I originally wrote it, getting only the nickel half of that layer right. But, in spite of all the dangers and risks, and knowing you were facing overwhelming odds, you nonetheless jumped right in and offered the best explanation you could. And, eventually, I got the answer. That whole strip should have been bonded, shouldn't it have? But, this was probably toward the end of the strip, and they ran out of bonding (just joking, but it missed the bonding). Great. Never realized that's what I had. Thanks!
Wheeeeew!! I'm glad we got that out of the way! :hug: Recently I saw a New York State Quarter that was missing the clad layer on one side. The coin was noticeably thinner and lighter than it should have been. Are your blanks normal thickness and weight?
Maybe the photo below will help you visualize the process. (The photo is from scvhistory.com.) A roll of cupro-nickel clad strip is being fed into a blanking machine. Note the copper core visible at the edge of the roll. The strip is a copper core that has clad layers on both sides. That is the way the Mint receives them from their supplier. (Note the additional roll in the lower-left of the photo.) The coin strip is fed into the blanking machine where dies punch out coin blanks from the strip (much like cutting out cookies or biscuits from dough that has been rolled out). Your un-clad blanks came from near the end of the strip where the clad layers were missing.
It's thinner. Not a whole lot, but just enough. I don't have access to a scale that sensitive, but I do have a jeweler-friend at Brockman's and I may get it weighed there one day. You can see real clearly it's the copper core, though, just holding it against a normal coin. Cool. Another happy ending. We just got there the long way around this time. :thumb: EDIT: Just saw that photo you just added. Terrific! :hug:
Now that's a cool image. Always wondered how this worked. If the band came loose on a roll that large I would be running.
