Me and my dad are inexperienced with coins, and collecting and such, but my dad found this dime which has an indented edge. The bracket in the top right of the image below is a side view, though in actuality the edge is a lot less defined than that. You can faintly see the indention on the left-right view of the coin at the bottom of the image. Using a magnifying glass, we can still see the ridges inside of the indention though it's not clear on the picture below. And so we came here to this forum, wondering if it's a real error coin, and if so what should we do with it?
Not an expert but judging from the appearance of the obverse/reverse it looks like it may have been dipped in some type of acid. Some acids will dissolve the pure copper core faster then the outer clad layers thus leaving the channel in the edge.
"channel ridge" I have a 1980 js D Dime with the Same Indentation, How can we be sure that it was actually dipped in acid. mine has the same ridge and looks like a reel as well. if it was acid wouldn't it deteriorate and leave the edge smooth? Why does it have each indentation within the ridge intact? It seems a bit odd if it was the same guy doing this acid dip for two years.... or leaving dimes on a beach for the former. What proof do we have that it was acid? If so what kind? could it now be considered a rare dime?
And the acid eats each metal evenly so the reeds are also retained as the metal is eaten away. So the copper is eaten faster but the reed are retained even down in the bottom of the groove. Remember the reeded edge is formed by being forced against the collar during the strike so if the copper down in the grooves shows the reeds then at one time it had to have been out at the same level as the coppernickel. the only thing that could now have it down at a lower level would be the eating away of the copper by either an acid or a base.
Hate to dig up an old thread, but I have a 1943 just like this that I've been researching, it's not copper and has not been dipped in acid. Weighs 2.26g and is not silver.
