1992 Copper jefferson nickel

Hi Everyone, My Grand father found this in his change jar, and has asked me to try a find some info. I have been doing some serching and come up with the 1980 jefferson struck aon a full cu plancet, and then other struck on a cent. But nothing for the 1990s beside being struck on a cent . This coin is copper toned through out on obverse and reverse, I look closly at the sides, and again copper toned color, even where there are some scratches. The weight is 5.1 grams, It is the same size as a nickel and is a full strike. I know the metal content is mixed, but could this be a acutal copper cent, or one where the clad layer never attached. Im just not sure. At first i thought it was a ground coin, but it not dirt, or grime. plus he hasnt emteid his change jar in 40 years, because there where mercurys and alot i mean alot of silver in there. Any Info would be great Thank you all again Frank

 

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It looks like the coin may have been exposed to chemicals that deteriorated the clad layer, or some abrasive object was used to remove the layer (possibly sand paper). But I am by no means a mint-error expert.

Can you provide us with a photo of the reverse? I'm sure this will help those more experienced figure out example what's goin' on here.

-Brian

 

Nickles are made of a solid alloy 75% cu Ni 25%, they are not clad as are dimes and quarters, A "sandwich" of a pure Cu core with nickle on top and bottom.

 

Thank You For the info, I will have some more pics when i get home of the coin. The weight of the coin should be 5 grams, If the nickel covering is missing wouldnt that affect the weight??? And if this coin was acid dipped wouldnt it have affected the cu?? Thanks again for info everyone.

 

Hi frank,
Well we can rule out it being struck on a cu cent planchet. The weight would be more around 3 grams with a 19mm diameter. Like rdwarrior stated above, there are no "layers". So it cannot be missing the nickel layer. It is a solid alloy mixed togethor. So, that being said, I cannot say what is going on here. My first reaction is that it took a bath in something corrosive or was part of an experiment of some sort. I really don't know.

 

Just another discolored nickel.

 

Looks like a nickel that was found by a metal detector. They turn all sorts of colors depending on ground conditions. Its a reaction of the chemical elements in the soil with the copper in the solid alloy of the nickel.

 

Put a nickel in acid long enough, and the nickel preferentially dissolves, leaving copper -- but it reduces the weight of the coin significantly.

I'll bet if I put a nickel in copper sulfate solution (root killer) the nickel would displace copper, and I'd get a result much like what you're seeing. I'll try to remember to try it.

And, of course, if you copper-plated a nickel, you'd get a copper surface with a slightly increased weight.

 

Like Rdwarrior and gbroke said there are no layers on the nickel.

I would guess either it went through the copper wash and or picked up the copper through the annealing process.

With having full rims is another indicator that it is not on a cent plancet as the die of the nickel would have flattened out the upset rim when it was struck like these (nickel on cent is one of my side collections)

 

I would like to talk about a new discovery. A 1970s small date that has a two mint marks on it . The D/S. Can anyone help me with this?

 

Post a picture of it

 

You'll get more responses if you start a new thread for it, and we'll need to see photos if you can provide them.

Welcome to CoinTalk!

 

Hi Newcoinboy! Welcome. I have a nickle that seems to be like yours. I dont know what's up either. But I'm new too, so that's not a shocker. Mine is a 1991 and weighs 5.08 grams. It has a light copper color uniformly all over. Check it out. I hope some of you more seasoned fellas can help us out here. All wisdom is welcome.

 

Grab a jar...fill it with water and toss in some salt. Blah blah blah, put each coin in the jar and connect to the appropriate positive and negative of a 9v. There you go....thinly copper plated nickel the way the Egyptians used to do it. Seriously, DONT do this. Fun science projects end up getting some people thinking they have golden tickets.

 

As noted by a fellow enthusiast, we can rule out a nickel on a cent planchet. Weight is a good indicator as would be the missing/reduced outer devices. And unless another country's copper planchet is the size of a nickel planchet, and being minted by us, a common sized nickel could not be produced (weight would be different).

 

The necro thread lives.
AmericanVet as previously mentioned in the thread nickels are
made of a mixture of 25% nickel and 75% copper. It's the nickel
part that gives it the color. There's no copper nickels. (Besides the rare
nickel struck on copper planchet as shown) and your nickel is 1991,
they stopped making copper cents after 1982.
The metals in coins will react to many different things, and turn many
different colors. Yours is either toned, or rusted, or environmentally damaged.
Sometimes coins are plated. There's many possibilities, but in the end,
it's a spender. 5 cents.

I am not suggesting you do this, but if you put it in a solution of white vinegar with a few drops of hydrogen peroxide, it will probably return to
a regular nickel color after a little while. (And a little bit whiter as well.)

 

I don't think it will. An oxidizing acid environment like that would dissolve away the nickel preferentially, leaving the coin more copper-colored -- unless it's fully plated with copper, in which case it might not change anything, or might darken the coin, or might even brighten it.

 

Nope, that is one way to bring out the date on dateless buffalo nickels, vinegar and peroxide, brings out the date and leaves the coin with a white color. (not like the dark blotches from using Ferric Chloride/nic-a-date.)

 

I used peroxide/vinegar mix to get that date to show on an buffalo nickel. Turned very bright and put holes in it it under magnification.