Hello all! I am new to collecting, and yesterday I came across a weird looking coin. It’s a 1989 Roosevelt dime but both sides are completely dark brown. There is some silver showing through around the edges. I’m about 95% certain it is acid damaged, but wanted to be sure it wasn’t a rare obverse and reverse clad error. Thoughts? Thanks in advance for your input!
Welcome to the site. Your coin appears to have been in the ground or something, it is considered environmental damage. Metal detected coins take on this kind of look. This thread from one of our greatest shows some metal detected coins. https://www.cointalk.com/threads/metal-detecting-1894-barber-half-dollar-s-mint.377178/ He posts more often, so eventually you'll have an eye for these parking lot coins Hes an error man himself.. You'll meet him
First, welcome to the neighborhood, Mika! It would be extremely rare to find any coin missing both clad layers, but if you did, the chances are that it would have a very weak strike. You see, the dies are calibrated and tested for striking planchets having a normal thickness. As the others have stated, your coin has been subjected to environmental conditions while in circulation. If you want to see what a coin missing the clad layer looks like before it makes it into circulation, here is a Kennedy that I found in a Mint bag. @Cheech9712 likes this! Edited to change "width" to "thickness".
That's the Cupro-Nickel showing. Not silver. Here are examples of my metal detecting finds with environmental damage to the clad layers and Nickels that are made of Cupro-Nickel. Compare to your Dime..
Welcome to CT @Mika. As you can see, your questions get confirmation and answers from several experts in those areas, so hang in there and keep looking at your change.
Thank you everybody! It’s nice to know that my hunch was mostly right. The information is much appreciated!
This is an unique example of a large clad missing error you’ll ever see in our lifetime @Mika Thanks for the treat 9ball
Paddyman has some beautiful clad coins also. @cpm9ball @Mika I adore these coins. Keep hunting. Show these bums up.
@cpm9ball Your half is fabulous @Mikathanks. I needed to see that coin again. I want a poster for my office