Belgian 5 Centimes 1902...Copper?

I have had this coin for many years and have wondered why it is made of copper. Krause has it list as being made of copper-nickel. Could this be a case of another coin plated in a material which has worn off and now only the core material is showing? If so, why was it described as being plated?
Any info would help.




Also, please view my Belgian Collection.

http://www.cointalk.com/members/jlblonde/albums/belgian-collection/

The images are rotating Gifs of both sides, so you'll have to view them one at a time.
Thx,
Joe

 

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mine is definitely cupro nickel, looks like another one where the nickel has worn away

 

The coin is in at least XF condition. To be worn away the coin would have to be in heavy use, yes?

 

It might be a Pattern that found its way into circulation, some were struck in copper some in brass plated nickel, and some in copper -iron alloy.

 

That's what I'm thinking too.

 

according to krause the only patterns were in nickel or cupro nickel, kmpn 105 and kmpn106

 

Yeah, I came up with the same thing. I had purchased the coin many years ago from a knowledgeable dealer, but the he's long since gone. So I can't ask him about it.

I always seem to come across these odd coins. Like in my other posts of the Nepalese coin http://www.cointalk.com/t198680/ and the such.

Not the Japanese one. http://www.cointalk.com/t198679/ That was a bone headed move on my part.

Nevertheless, I would really like to find an answer to this one.

Unlike my Austria 10 Kreuzer http://www.cointalk.com/t195871/ which almost everyone claimed it was silver with a harsh tarnish, but when I had it tested it came up as copper.

Or my Mexican coins. http://www.cointalk.com/t195958/

 

I'm sure that this red color has the one reason: oxidation of the copper containing in the coin.

 

i think that also eugene, it happens quite frequently with cupro nickel coins, and i have some really odd examples of uk coins where it has occured, i mean have you ever seen a copper florin?

 

Thx guys.

Ok...so that's a good start.

Now, how does that occur or why? What conditions would allow a single or a handful coin(s) out of thousands, if not the entire 1.4 million, of these that were minted allow this one to turn bright red?

Did someone soak it? Maybe, but there are no pit marks usually associated when metal is dipped or soak in a caustic substance.

Wear? The top layer was not rubbed off. The detail of the coin is almost intact.

Climate? Belgium is not in the tropical regions where hot wet climates tend to tarnish or affect the patina of coins to the point where they rust or take on a completely different look (except for iron or zinc coins), such as in the Caribbean or Oceania.

Examples? If anyone has examples of copper-nickel coins wear the the nickel is gone and the copper has shown through, I would definitely like to see them. Curious.

Clad or solid? From what I understand the coin above is solid CN not copper with a CN clad.

Error? I would assume that this coin may just be an error, but I need confirmation on that by at least two knowledgeable souls on Belgian coinage in regards to their minting procedures and history.


Fun Facts:

Copper-Nickel: The addition of nickel to copper improves strength and corrosion resistance but good ductility is retained. Copper-nickel alloys have excellent resistance to marine corrosion and biofouling. The two main alloys are 90/10 and 70/30.

The word is cupronickel and it's just what it says, a combination of copper and nickel. The outer cladding of dimes, quarters, and halves is an alloy of 25% nickel and 75% copper, for example.

 

i just send a mail to the Belgia Mint (the guys who make our coins)
I asked them for information about the material for you
when i get the answer ill let you know

 

Awesome!

Thank You

 

No problem.
Now dont expect the answer soon
Its a governemental service, and in belgium those guy's are not fast in their work

 

Weight and diameter??
My first thought would be a leftover planchet from Congo Free state 1 Centime, last struck in 1888.
18mm, 2.0g

 

The answer of the Belgian mint: 100% copper.Discoloration would be to blame to the age of the coin, and due to external situations of how the coin has been handeled in the past.Never tought they would answer so fast . If the answer is correct, i dont know, but that is their response.

 

An amazingly fast reply indeed.

Christian

 

Thank you Koen for responding so quickley.

Is that 100% copper or 100% Copper-Nickel?

 

they say 100% copper

=

 

The only problem is that the coin in question is a 5 centimes not a 2 centime.

 

I'm now thinking that if it is not an error coin, then it might have been plated in copper. I don't know why some would go though the trouble of plating a coin in copper. It really isn't a valuable coin and plating in copper would make it less valuable. The mystery continues...