Counterfeit Quarter...how can I find out?

Hi, I'm new here to Coin Talk. I was only browsing through Google to find an answer to a question I had.

While working the other day and counting down my cash register, there was this strange ping noise that sounded unfamiliar to my ears while I was counting the quarters. I have always had a strange obsession with foreign currency, old coins and such. So at first I thought it could be an old silver quarter (I've got two!! ^_^ ), however when I examined it closer, there was the slash of copper. I knew I wasn't crazy, so I compared the sound of the 1974 quarter that grabbed my attention to other quarters. I noticed a difference of the quarter I found to be at a much higher note. After brining it home to compare it to my other Silver quarters I have, its a lower noter compared to those.

Anyways, I found this site because it seems that I am not the only one that has found a ...... don't know if to call it a counterfeit quarter or not, because perhaps it may be real, but made differently (mistakes happen all the time right?). Someone here had a similar experience as mine. Just would like to know if anyone else has anything on this that may help me learn more about this quarter that I have.

Thanks, *~*SMILE*~* nikki

 

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got any pics or weight? It would help alot.

 

A slash of copper? Maybe the clading is coming apart?

Pics would really help!

 

If the coin has been in a fire or exposed to very high temperatures it may have lost its "ring".

Post pics of the coin if you can.

 

Welcome to CT , as the others said a picture would help a lot , sounds like you have a good ear , do you play an instrament ?
rzage

 

Sorry I havent replied sooner, working and such. Anyways, Im getting on that picture thing. I cant seem to find the connector for my camera.

Honestly, the quarter looks like a real quarter, I cant tell any difference from any other quarter. But perhaps my untrained eye is missing something you all will see. I have the next two days off and Im sure I will get a couple of pics up of the quarter.

 

I've dabbled with music, but never really learned to play anything, however when I was younger I could hear a song and sorta wing it on a piano.

 

Not sure if this is a counterfeit quarter or not. It seems a little off to me. I was counting some quarters and this little feature that pop out to me. Sorry the picture is bad but you can still tell what I noticed. The one on the left is the one I think is fake and the one on the right is a normal quarter.

The Quarter
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Death-Fellows: Based on the photo in the link it looks like it is a pre 1965... - 1964 and earlier are silver. If this is the case it has added collectible and bullion value to a normal quarter. Expect that it would be worth at least a buck. Welcome to CT. P.S. - In the future it would be better to start your own tread so that your question will not be missed or confuse the original posters thread.

Nikki - we will not forget this is your thread and take a look at your photos when you can post them - Welcome to CT as well.

Best Regards ~ Darryl

 

Just didn't want to create something if someone already had something similar. And it is a 1962 quarter

 

It's no big deal but it's better to have the two threads with similar questions. Like I said though - no biggie... BTW - Nice Find!!!

 

i would agree with Aslanmia

it sounds to that there might be a crack in the clad layers someplace

i found one like that - it sounded different and close inspection, i could see the crack.

Snowman

 

Good afternoon, everyone

I stumbled across a similar situation, a 1995 quarter that would not work in a vending machine. My co-workers thought it was just a Quarter that got damaged somehow, but I am certain it is a counterfeit coin.

I have several photos comparing it to a real quarter on my blog:
http://zippybackflash.com/blog/?p=185

And no, this is not some cheesy ploy to get more traffic to my site; I already have more than enough. What I do want is some outside opinions... Is this just a one-off kind of deal, or is anyone else seeing some of these in circulation too?

I never considered that anyone would try to make phony coins because it seems like more trouble than it is worth.

 

Lonnie:
Welcome to the forum.

And, nope, I do not believe that your quarter is a counterfeit.

It does look like it had an acid bath, which would leave the signs that you see, especially the look of the rim.

 

You think so? It's definitely thinner than any other quarter, but the kicker for me is the edge. It's not just blackened, but there is a definite lip where the front and back surfaces extend out further than the core.

Under a microscope you can see that very clear, as well the differences in the lettering. Real quarters have a very well defined edge to the letters, where the suspect coin has very soft edges, as if it were not pressed as hard.

Now I've never taken apart a quarter, but is it actually made of 2 layers of pressed metal bonded to a core?

 

I have to agree , not counterfeit , acid would do exactly as Treashunt said .
rzage

 

When soaked for an extended period in a weak acid such as vinegar the acid attacks the copper faster than the coppernickel layers and so over time the coppernickel layers start extending past the copper core. If you will look close you will also note the the copper core does still show the reeding. In order for the reeing to be impressed into the copper it would have had to have been out the same distance as the coppernickel layers at one time.

 

All those who suggested that the coin was dipped in acid are correct for the reasons that they stated already. That is exactly what an acid dipped copper-nickel clad coin looks like.

 

I agree and have posted images for you to view and others also.

here is a sand cast quarter: