Aluminum Nickel ?

Anyone have any info about the U.S. Mint producing Aluminum Nickels? I have heard of Aluminum One Cent coins but that is as much as I can learn surfing the net. Everyone responding to this thread please understand that this topic is hypothetical, I don't want the secret service knocking on my door to confiscate it.

 

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Anyone know if the 1896 Shield Nickel was struck in aluminum? I'm positive I heard of a fantasy nickel or two that were aluminum a while back.

 

This is the Garrett collection complete 1868 proof set from the cent to the double eagle struck in aluminum.



These were struck originally for presentation purpose as Pollock mentions a request by Henry Linderman to have "two sets of impressions of our coins struck in Aluminum prepared as early as they can be without an interruption to the regular business of the Mint. I desire to send one set to the Bank of England and another to France". Pollock also notes that Linderman asked for 2 more sets 2 days later.

It is likely that some of these were deliberately made for sale to collectors. The first recorded sale of one of these cased sets was lot 1381 of the 1870 Mason & Company sale of the William Fewsmith collection. This set was bought in by Mason and sold piecemeal in his next sale.

The Brand collection had two sets, Woodside's purchased in 1895 and Stickney's purchased in 1907. Today 3 sets are believed to still exist including the illustrated Garrett set above, one in the collection of Eric Newman and the third in Bowers and Merena's January 1995 sale.

Similar aluminum sets were also made in 1869. The H.P. Smith set was purchased by Brand and is no longer believed to be intact.

Off-metal die trial sets, both complete or partial, are known for many years from 1866-1876, 1884 and 1885. They were quite commonly seen in auction sales of the late 1800s and early 1900s and were deliberately made for sale to collectors.

Sets for the years 1863, 1864 and possibly 1865 were made circa 1869 and into the early 1870s. They combined quarters, half dollars and silver dollars with the "In God We Trust" reverses on them as used from 1866 onward with restruck three cent, half dimes and dimes. The trimes and half dimes are known for having an open 'D' in United and the dimes are known for having a broken 'S' in States. Additional pieces that were struck as part of these sets include the 1863 two cent pieces with large motto J316-318/P381-P383 and some 1863L and 1864L Indian cents.

These sets were struck in silver, copper, aluminum and nickel.

 

nice info, I did not expect any older coins were minted. However I am wondering if a more modern Jefferson 5 cent piece was minted in aluminum. say around the year 1999. The fantasy piece might be what I have seen. So how could I tell the difference, other than the obvious weight and color. This coin looks exactly like the real thing.

digger

 

I don't recall reading any reports of the Mint intentially producing any Jefferson nickels made of aluminum.
I suppose a foreign coin, or blank, could be struck by US dies, but I've never heard of a Jefferson nickel struck on a foreign aluminum coin or blank.
That doesn't mean that they don't exist, just means that I don't recall seeing one.

 

For some reason, this doesn't sound so hypothetical. I wouldn't worry about the Secret Service because this would, in modern times, more than likely be an error than a fantasy piece. Also, you could measure the density of the nickel.

Btw, why do you suspect this coin is aluminum?

 

This is the conclusion I was hoping someone would suggest. It is by far the easiest idea for me to understand. If this were true then the coin would be legal to own, and possibly worth a premium. On the other hand if it were a counterfeit or minted legally but not released or sold by a U.S. mint then it would be illegal to own. Like the aluminum ONE CENT coins which became illegal to own and subject to being confiscated by the Secret Service.
I am not suggesting that I actually have one in my possesion. If I did I think it would be foolish to admit it unless it could be verified that it is not illegal to own.

GD: I was wondering if it were a fantasy coin how I would be able to know,since I have none for comparing the weight.
to make it easier lets skip the hypothetical jargon and say that I really do have the mystery nickel. It really does look like Aluminum and the weight is super light, obviously not made of nickel. so now I'm the foolish one until I can learn the true origin of this coin.

I hope that clears things up.

What would you all do with it if you had it?
send it to a grading service for verification? Would it be confiscated at that facility if it is illegal?
write the mint and ask? I'm horrible at writing letters!
Something else?

Thanks for the interesting responses from everyone so far, at least I now have a chance that it is a real legal coin.

Digger

 

I got it weighed today but I don't trust the results I will try again at a later date. It was raining and I put the coin in an eyeglass case. The case got wet and I wiped it as best I could. I did not want other hands to touch the coin so I weighed the items together and then removed the coin and weighed the case seperate. did the math at home and it says the coin weighs 5.26 grams. Thats .26 grams heavier than the weight listed in my redbook.Maybe it is all just my imagination but I swear it is lighter in my hand then an ordinary coin. Also looks like some alloy other than nickel. Guess I'm at a dead end for now.
So what does that mean if it is heavier?

 

What's the coin's date?

 

It got wet. :kewl:

 

No

That much water can't cling to a coin. In addition, metal is dense than water (not that it SINKS)

Ruben

 

You mean a quarter of a gram of water can't cling to a coin?
How do you know that?

Do mean to say that all metal is denser than water?

No. That isn't true.

 

I do believe Lithium is the least dense metal, something around 0.57 or so?

 

Right. About 0.534 and about half the density of water.

Good catch! :high5:

 

Technically, Hydrogen is a metal. No kidding.

 

I think you are overthinking this. The SS is not inclined to go on fishing exepditions for an offmetal error, plated coin, or even a potential isolated counterfeit.

The aluminum cents were such an issue because they were made as samples that were explictly ordered to be returned after the Congressmen were done with them. The Mint did not want any of these well known coins being sold to collectors for profit.

 

It's noteworthy that in the 1860s, aluminum was worth more per ounce than silver or even gold.