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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;John Burgess, post: 7781159, member: 105098&quot;]Hoping&nbsp; i might rest your mind on your concerns about zincolns.</p><p><br /></p><p>Where to begin...</p><p><br /></p><p>Zinc Lincoln cents are a copper plated zinc core.&nbsp; If the plating is intact, there is no concern at all. If the plating is penetrated anywhere zinc will be exposed to oxygen. The airs reaction to the exposed zinc will cause zinc oxide to form on the exposed zinc. This is seen as a white/grey/blue powdered dust. Once this forms it protects the zinc underneath it from the oxygen. </p><p>In circulation, hands and in and out of pockets drawers and bangging into other coins will constantly knock off the zinc oxide and more zinc will be sacrificed to protect the exposed zinc. In a collection and being caretaken for, the zinc oxide is rarely removed.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now, as far as &quot;zinc rot&quot; its not rot or a disease. This is a galvanic reaction. Copper and zinc are dissimilar metals. When the two are exposed, and come in contact with water ( think annode zinc, cathode copper, water electrolyte) it creates a tiny galvanic cell and corrosive reaction where the zinc is quickly sacrificed. </p><p>This isn&#039;t a concern without an electrolyte (water) and its not a concern if the plating is intact, protecting the zinc from becoming an annode or cathode. In circulation this is bound to happen with sweat, water contact, humidity condensation or rain. Lots of ways for water to come into contact with exposed zinc and copper to create a galvanic reaction. In a collection and being caretaken for, not so much.</p><p><br /></p><p>As far as zincoln errors.... would I pay the same for say a zincoln clipped planchet as I would a copper Lincoln cent planchet of similar clip size? </p><p><br /></p><p>Maybe not. If the price is right though I&#039;d add it to my collection without issue but I&#039;m not a fan of the appearance of the exposed zinc on zincolns vs. The copper Lincoln cents so I&#039;d most likely want to pay less for a zincoln error vs a copper Lincoln error but the deterioration wouldn&#039;t be a concern of mine or a factor in my decision.&nbsp; A couple easy things can be done to keep it from deteriorating for the next forever. 1. Don&#039;t mess with exposed zinc or zinc oxide dust. 2. Don&#039;t get the coin wet or moist. Both of these things are pretty impossible to avoid just randomly in circulation but are totally controllable in a collection environment.</p><p><br /></p><p>This is why in circulation they appear to rapidly deteriorate... because they do. They get banged up, zinc exposed, zinc oxide constantly knocked off, and get wet creating a galvanic reaction where the zinc gets sacrificed rapidly day in and day out. Same way steel cents rusted around the edges from the edge not being coated and on the surfaces as the zinc coating there got penetrated. Same way it happens on galvanized screws. Outside a galvanized steel screw isn&#039;t going to last forever, in your house it just might.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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