1965 Silver Quarter? No, but what is it?

Both my jobs are positions where patrons give me money (unfortunately I don't get to keep it). Recently I was paid with a quarter that made that "silver sound" when dropped on the counter, so I saved it. Upon inspection it was a 1965, not a 64 or older, but it had that sound. No copper on the edge.

I weighed the coin. I know it should be 6.25 for silver, 5.75 for 40% and 5.67 for clad, but this one was even lighter. It was 5.35 grams. That rules out silver but what is it then?

Thanks for any input.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

There are some 1965's that were struck on silver planchets. Rare and valuable. 1965 is a common date, I get them all the time, and this one is probably just worn down from circulation. It is a little light, so there may be some other intentional factors in play. I don't see the copper band, but this coin has the appearance of, and could be a "dryer coin". A coin that gets trapped in a dryer and spends a long time in there getting ground down/ and slightly melted before it makes it's escape.

 

It could also be a lead counterfeit.

The copper core would still show if it
were a 'dryer' coin, or some other
damage.

Unless it's been plated, which I doubt,
my guess, based on what I can see,
and the weight, says Lead.

 

Lead would be heavier, wouldn't it?

 

Does it scratch easily to a fingernail?
Lead oxidizes very quickly so it wouldnt be lead unless electroplated. Could also be tin fake because tin is also very easy to melt (231.9C) and does not tarnish.

 

Lead/tin - I mean it's not a
US clad planchet.

 

Oh ok that makes more sense.

 

It doesnt look right.

 

Most dryers top out at 135 F degrees although commercial ones may reach 200 F degrees, still far lower than the melting point of tin [449.5 F] or copper [1981 F] or nickel [2651 F] or even zinc [787 F]. Maybe some galvanic plating is possible though.

 

Fred, what you said about lead/tin makes complete sense. However, it looks rather crude. So, do you think this is a cast copy?

Chris

 

Yes, the look, the crudeness of the strike,
the edge, the weight, etc.

Lead/tin/badly cast copy

 

You can easily melt tin in a barbeque or on a stove.
It looks cast to me.

 

I was thinking it could be cast because of the lack of sharpness and overall look, but why make a fake quarter? Seems like a lot of work for .25. Even if you are trying to pass it off as silver (it did pass the drop test), that's a lot. As a rarity you know it would be checked and found to be fake.

 

.

 

Maybe they tried to make it and sell it, there are some factories in China that make fake coinage (thousands of quarters) to spend in the States and they probably don't take as careful measures to ensure that a copper-clad is showing.

 

Also look at how high the relief on IGWT is. That would not be present on a genuine 1965 silver quarter.

 

A lot of work for a quarter, yes..... if only one is made.

 

Don't forget that nickels were
famously counterfeited in the
1940's and early 50's by a guy
named Henning - and he did
darn good work for 5C face value
counterfeits.

 

I don't know if it's real,buy I would look real nice in my collection! lmao

 

Would it be a lot of work for $2.50? Especially if you could make many of them? 25 cents in 1965 would have had the purchasing power that $2.50 has today. We look at a quarter and don't think much of it, but back then a quarter was significant.