Not calling it an error but curious if normal wear could take a cent down this much. It sounds like a mercury dime against other cents. If it is normal wear, wouldn't more letters be worn down? As always I appreciate any info. / comments.
A acid bath that would have removed that much of the diameter would have pretty much taken off most of the design too. If the surfaces were protected and only the edge was contacted by acid it (the edge) would be far rougher than it looks to be. My guess is a wrong planchet. What is the diameter and weight? And thickness too?
If the acid strength was proper, it would reduce the diameter and the thickness and would still leave the devices such as the bust and wheats as it will be dissolved equally rather than as with a grinder. So the high points and the low points tend to reduce the same amount maintaining the original proportions, just reduced. But this is difficult to do without a chem lab stirrer or close watch. Generally long term, weak solution does best. I vote for acid reduction Jim
David, Give me some time to check on the info. I can tell you though it ways alot less than a zinc. It also weighs less than a 1964D roosevelt dime. Which is 2.5 grams
http://www.coincommunity.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=41991 Here's a discussion of a similar coin from the same era. The poster thought it may have been struck on a Peruvian Centavo 2.3g planchet. Other posters thought it was an acid job. We all think we're able to readily detect a cleaned (acid dipped) copper coin. This coin doesn't have those attributes. It doesn't have the pink look that an acid dipped copper cent has so I'm not convinced.
"My Opinion only"; no wrong planchet, No Acid. Simply the planchet was different than the others. May be because the cutter punch. The perpendicular round Edge, look the same than the angular round edge. about surface quality. or smoothness.
Definite acid job. THe coin is not only thinner than normal but the diameter has been decreased. this lookls just like the many cents that I observed in high school chemistry class. Acid does not obliterate the details it just makes them loos "softer" details aren't as sharp. This coin fits the classic acid chemistry experiment description. Richard
Acid job? "Sure can be". But no body have some samples? o do the experiment right now with other coin and post the picture?
I'm not in a high school chemistry class any more so, no I can't. I don't have the acid to do it with. I do know what I am talking about though and can guarantee that this coin is an acid job.
Acid treatment always removes the rims first. How much a coin dissolves depends on the type of acid and how long it was left there. On the quarter on the example only 1/2 of the coin was dipped to remove just one face of the coin trying to make it into a missing clad coin. But on closer examination of the rim, you can see where the rim was starting to dissolve and can be seen in the images. Take a look if you haven't already looked at the CCF tag.
