Hey all! I found this 2004-D Michigan quarter in circulation and am interested in your opinions: I think it looks like a retained struck through copper foil. At first I thought it was partial missing clad, but the copper seems to be raised—and thus possibly a retained strike through. What are your thoughts?
It's not missing clad, I don't think, it's sitting up too much, look at the bottom of it. It's either struck-through scrap (@Insider) or hardened glue (@alurid), I think.
I would believe Insiders explanation. Too many straight lines and it's firmly wrapped around the edge to match the strike.
Very interesting. I also lean towards struck through copper as opposed to missing clad layer if it is an error (but I am still not very good at telling the two apart). If it were a stain or glue, how could I tell? Perhaps an acetone soak would help, but if it's not soluble in acetone...?
If this is a retained strike through or missing clad, do you think it would be worth sending in for grading at NGC? (I know you don't have any idea what the reverse looks like, but I'm more so curious about the error's value itself.)
You may be correct. The upper point of the copper is lifting off so it may be a coating bit definitely not a stain. Otherwis it is a lamination becaue the two different metals did not bond. The fact that the peice is not overlapping the edge means nothing. I'm sticking to my former opinion.
It the material lies above the level of the surrounding metal, it may well have been deposited after the coin left the Mint. Then again, struck-in material can lift up after the strike, so that observation is not definitive. Struck in matter is generally surrounded by a narrow fissure, something that is not present here. But if the matter is exceptionally thin, a fissure might not develop. Another ambiguous observation. If any of the material has been lost, there should be a shallow depression beneath the missing layer. But I don't see any areas where this has happened. Right now, it's not clear whether this is an error.
The little chips at the right indicate it might be a deposit rather than a strike thru. Put some Goo Gone on it. Let it soake and then roll acetone on it. Even faster, gently poke it with a wood sliver wher it is peeling. If it is a strike thru made of copper it will not move, If it is a residue, some will pop off.
I popped off enough glue, let me tell you. I was completely and thoroughly shocked, shocked, I say, it was hardened glue, or some suck composite. However in all mine without exception it was trying to simulate an opposite die impression. I'll tell you this, too, acetone didn't budge it one hair. In one, I took it off with a knife.
