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<p>[QUOTE="otlichnik, post: 6593553, member: 109731"]It's a process called "embrittlement" whereby there is a very slow reaction between different elements in the metal matrix that were imperfectly mixed (or in some cases that were insoluble vis-a-vis each other). In silver coins it usually forms along the grain boundaries between silver and lead and/or silver and copper. The boundaries between these grains in effect form microscopic cracks. The exact nature of the alloy - its contents, the degree to which it was mixed, the way it cooled - all contribute, as does the conditions of its burial. So presumably, while some issues may be more susceptible, the real factors are unique to each individual coin. </p><p><br /></p><p>SC[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="otlichnik, post: 6593553, member: 109731"]It's a process called "embrittlement" whereby there is a very slow reaction between different elements in the metal matrix that were imperfectly mixed (or in some cases that were insoluble vis-a-vis each other). In silver coins it usually forms along the grain boundaries between silver and lead and/or silver and copper. The boundaries between these grains in effect form microscopic cracks. The exact nature of the alloy - its contents, the degree to which it was mixed, the way it cooled - all contribute, as does the conditions of its burial. So presumably, while some issues may be more susceptible, the real factors are unique to each individual coin. SC[/QUOTE]
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