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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;mikediamond, post: 83185, member: 1859&quot;]Since it has original mint luster, I would think it&#039;s a genuine &quot;black beauty&quot; nickel.&nbsp; As to what causes the black color, opinion is divided.&nbsp; I submitted one for SEM/X-ray analysis and it came back enriched in copper (83%, I believe, vs. the normal 75%).&nbsp; However, the metallurgist could not explain why this should turn the coin black.&nbsp; Some believe it&#039;s a manifestation of &quot;copper wash&quot; -- discoloration caused by coins immersed too long in a cleaning solution saturated with copper ions.&nbsp; I really don&#039;t know.&nbsp; But there are black dimes and quarters as well, as well as mixtures of black and copper, black and red, etc.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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