2006D Steel Colorado State Quarter

I was dumping my junk change into the change-o-matic gizmo at my bank (which doesn't charge a surcharge if I have an account with them) and it kept rejecting a 2006D Colorado State Quarter.

I found it attracts magnets (or magnets attract it). I imagine this is how the gizmo tries to keep Canadian coins out of its bowels.

It looks genuine to me.

It weighs 5 grams on the spot, it is definately clad copper and I'd guess it in XF condition.

What am I looking at?

A counterfeit?

A quarter erroniously struck from a steel clad blank?

A blank supplier that provided the mint steel instead of nickel from time to time?

Could this be worth more than $0.25 as a curiosity?

I guess it could give a new meaning to the "In God We Rust" filled die strike-through error I've heard about...

 

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Very interesting... Check the weights, those tend to be the nail in the coffin. It's more than likely authentic, it's more a question of whether or not it's a wrong planchet strike or if it's just 'funky looking.' I suppose there's a chance it could be electroplated? Although I doubt such a thin coating of a metal would be strongly picked up by a magnet.

As first post in this thread I'll say it before the others do.... post pictures! hehe

 

Here are pictures. If anyone really wants an "I want to see it stick to the magnet" video I'll post one.

 

Is it strongly attracted to the magnet or just a very weak attraction? If strong, is it equally strongly attracted all over or just in one area?

 

It is strongly attracted. I compared it to a 1979P Canadian Quarter and it acts almost identical.

If I place the quarter in the center of the magnet it sticks completely. If I move it towards the edge it wants to stay half on the magnet, half off. Rotating the quarter near the edge of the magnet it acts the same- wants to be half on half off.

The Canadian quarter acts the same way except it wants to be about 2/3 on and 1/3 off.

 

Looks like it was plated and I'm guessing the plating is magnetic.

 

All Quarters today are clad, but usually with nickel. Until today I thought always with nickel.

It is possible it was plated, but then I am confused as to why it weighs 5 grams.

The plater would have had to strip the nickel and then plate with steel, and only on the obverse and reverse as you can see the copper on the edge.

Do people do that?

 

i'd say it's a magicians coin i had a similar state quarter

 

How about send it in to a grading service? If it's authentic you hit a gold mine! If not your out a few bucks and you can sleep at night!

 

This is probably the best advice, here.

I was sort of fishing to see if I go a "Happens all the time" or a "Yes, several thousand of these were made and it's worth about $25.00."

I've never sent a coin in before. Maybe NGC?

It might be worth the few bucks just to have an NGC sealed coin that says "XF Bogus Fake" on the top.

Now THAT would also be cool!

 

I personally like ANACS because you dont have to join anything, but i live about 45 mins from them, so i just drop my coins off so they have a slight advantage for me. But NGC would be good if they would slab it, but it seems as though ANACS is pretty good with errors and slabbing coins that others wont. NGC would bring a better price than ANACS barring that it is an authentic error, but really how many steel quarters do you know of...? If it's real and only one or a few are made then you get to set the price!

 

Also just another note on the coin, is it heavily scratched or is it pitted or just plain dirty? It seems from the pictures as though the coin has a "different" look than a normal quarter?

 

I've seen electroplated state quarters, but I don't know the weight or the magnetic properties.

However, I don't believe yours is plated and I'll explain why. The plated ones (that I have seen) are plated all around the coin, including the edge - so much so that you cannot make out the different layers within the coin. I see different layers in your coin, so I'm a bit puzzled. Furthermore, the Denver mint hasn't struck foreign coins since 1984, so a foreign blank planchet is not a reasonable possibility. I say you spend $20 and sent it off to ANACS - they are really good with errors and you don't need special memberships like you would for NGC or PCGS.

 

Scratched, pitted, and just plain dirty.

Not as heavily as it appears in the photos, my coin photography skills, well, stink.

This was going to go down the chute with the other junk change I wasn't interested in.

And I assume it's been in circulation for at least four years.

 

Nothing wrong with a circulated steel quarter! If thats what it turns out to be. Honestly your best bet is send it to ANACS if it's real your looking at a decent payday. If not you still have a pretty cool gag! If it turns out to be fake i'd stick it to a magnet, and hang it on the fridge for future conversation! Good luck and keep us posted! I'm hoping for your sake its real!

 

Our clad coinage has an inner core of pure copper and the outside layers are 75% copper and 25% nickel. The outer layers are the same composition as our 5 cent nickel. There is no nickel plating to remove. If the coin is plated then either the plating on the edge is thin or the edge was masked off to not receive the plating.

 

http://www.vanishingincmagic.com/magic/great-magic-for-big-crowds/flipper-magnetic-quarter-dollar/

 

Just a quick google search of "magnetic quarter" found these links:

http://topsmagic.com/topshop/product_info.php?products_id=6716 (closest so far)


http://www.ronjo.com/magic/JM-0048.html
"A mini neo-magnet has been expertly inserted inside this very special Coin. The neo-magnet inside the coin does not change the normal weight feeling or appearance. Magnetic coins can be made to turn in a saucer, flip over, or move. You can also detect them in envelopes, as in a bank night effect."

Might not be worth but $15.00 like these website are selling them for, but still worth something more than $.25!

 

you should find a seam around the rim if a magnet was inserted inside it.

 

I think i see the seam on your coin. It's all the way around the outside of the reverse - look just to the outside of the word COLORADO, and all around the coin. That line shouldn't be there - compare it to a picture of a 'normal' CO state quarter. Run your finger along it to see if there is a lip.