I've got an unusual question (at least I think it is, but maybe not). I've seen people deposit coins in, say, the foundations of buildings as a souvenir for the future, or under sidewalks to mark the date of their construction. If you were to deposit a current US coin or two in this manner as a historical marker, which one would you choose as being least susceptible to corrosion? I'm guessing pennies might not be good, as the copper alloy might not hold up well. Nickels? Dimes? The new golden dollars? (That's starting to get expensive.) Any opinions would be welcome. Many thanks.
Thanks, folks. It sounds like nickels would be the ones. If you mean any US coin, then gold. Ha. You know, if I were a millionaire, I'd do all sorts of interesting things that millionaires these days don't seem to do, like bury little caches of gold coins around the countryside to be discovered by archaeologists a thousand years from now. (None of this wasting my money on shallow things like food and cars.) But since I'm not, I'm glad to hear that it's nickels and not quarters that are likely to be most durable, since that means I will only have to spend 5 rather than 25 cents per marker.
Hmmmm - in that case it really doesn't matter. Nickels, quarters, dimes and half dollars - the outrer layers of all of these coins are made of exactly the same alloy, 25% nickel & 75% copper. The only difference is with the nickell the alloy is the same all the way through.
I considered the same thing, Doug, but I felt like it wouldn't take long for the edges, of the clads, to corrode due to verdigree. Just an assumption. Can't prove it.
I would take a pure 0.9999 platinium coin, if budget isn't a matter. The copper/silver/brass/tin/zinc in gold coins tends to show after a few thousand years.
Ha. You know, if I were a millionaire, I'd do all sorts of interesting things that millionaires these days don't seem to do, like bury little caches of gold coins around the countryside to be discovered by archaeologists a thousand years from now. (None of this wasting my money on shallow things like food and cars.) But since I'm not, I'm glad to hear that it's nickels and not quarters that are likely to be most durable, since that means I will only have to spend 5 rather than 25 cents per marker. [/QUOTE] I bought a 1921 Morgan Dollar from a seller on E-Bay who claimed that it was from Clint Eastwood's ex-wife's back yard (got that? LOL).The story went that when Eastwood was just starting out in the acting business, he didn't know for sure if he was going to make it. So, Eastwood and his then wife, buried some Morgan's in their back yard, in case they ever needed some extra cash. She got re-married some years later, and told the tale to her new husband. Then they went out into the back yard and dug up the coins and sold them. I don't know if the story is true, but the 1921 Morgan Dollar only cost $10.00, and it's in pretty good shape. I was probably taken though? LOL Oh well! LOL swick
