Strange nickel

Ask a question or post your most recent discovery.

Moderator: Daniel

Forum rules
Here's a link to how to post a topic with images in our community https://coinauctionshelp.com/welcome-to ... community/

___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

You also agree to follow these guidelines. You must agree to these rules to be a member of this forum. NO SPAM! Spam is deleted within minutes, no spam will ever be left in our community.

1. Post a front and back image of your coin with a specific question about what you’re seeing or asking about and one coin per topic.

2. Please remove coin from the holder unless it’s US or an official mint case or unless it is graded by a grading service.

3. Images should be taken by a camera or cell phone camera, we ask that members don’t use images through a microscope screen.

4. Always start your own topic, please don’t ask about your coin or post your coin in someone else’s coin topic.

5. Do not send private messages about your coin unless an Admin ask you too and the same for sending emails through the board.

6. No spam. Do not post any links to your coin or other non-coin websites.

7. Always be respectful even if something makes you upset or you don’t agree with a member. You can always get a second opinion elsewhere. If you have an issue then politely ask an admin in an PM. PM’s are for issues, technical and personal, but not for coin questions (refer to number 5 on this list). Our community is not a soap box for complaining or drama, so please refrain from doing so here.[/size]
Post Reply
Message
Author
aunty
Coining Around
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:28 pm

Strange nickel

#1 Unread post by aunty »

I have a "nickel" that is paper thin, no apparent erosion, neither side is distorted. It is thinner than a dime and slightly larger than a dime.
Has anyone heard of this?

PetesPockets55
Forum Supporter
Forum Supporter
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:08 pm
Has thanked: 236 times
Been thanked: 36 times

Re: Strange nickel

#2 Unread post by PetesPockets55 »

Welcome to the forum.
Can you please include some images of the front, reverse and maybe even the edge showing how thin it is (maybe next to a Lincoln cent?)

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#3 Unread post by Daniel »

Yes can you post an image of both sides?

aunty
Coining Around
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:28 pm

Re: Strange nickel

#4 Unread post by aunty »

Here are the photos. Thank you for responding!
Attachments
thin nickel 005.jpg
thin nickel 003.jpg
thin nickel 004.jpg
thin nickel 001.jpg

PetesPockets55
Forum Supporter
Forum Supporter
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:08 pm
Has thanked: 236 times
Been thanked: 36 times

Re: Strange nickel

#5 Unread post by PetesPockets55 »

Thank you for the images. :thumbsup:
They help a lot and are very interesting. Is the nickel in question a 1964. It definitely has circulation wear, with nicks and dings around the perimeter.
Others here are much more knowledgeable than myself, so hopefully they will correct any errors in my reply.
A couple of things I notice (and I'm definitely an amateur) are:
1)There is an overall weakness to the strike on the obverse and reverse. (Which can be faked chemically)
2)The outer edges of the devices towards the rim (letter/numbers) are partly missing. (Which could be ground or sanded down)
3)And of course how thin the coin is. (This is harder to fake without removing more of the devices/details)
You may have a nice mint error but you need to do at least two things to convince most people.
First thing to do would be to weigh it (in grams) to see if it matches the weight of any other US coins and the second would be to take it to a jeweler or coin dealer/shop to do a non invasive test it to see if it is composed of silver. A non invasive test doesn't alter or remove any of the coin's surface.
Once you have a determination on the metal composition you could send it to a grading company and they would encapsulate it for a fee ($40-$75?), but then there would be no question as to what you have.
Here is site to visit to gain more knowledge for off metal coins in case it applies to yours. LINK
Thanks for sharing and be sure to let us know what you find out.

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#6 Unread post by Daniel »

No US planchet has ever been this thin, there is rolled thin planchet errors but this coin has some metal displacement consistent with an after mint alteration. If this planchet was this thin during the strike then it would not have struck the detail you can see.

1964 nickels are not silver but mostly nickel and copper, and off metal coins do not have this appearance.

We also have information on this website about off metal planchets http://coinauctionshelp.com/1971-SLinco ... rrors.html

Here's a cent struck on a silver planchet http://coinauctionshelp.com/1980-DLinco ... rrors.html

What some must realize is the reason you can still see details on such a thin coin is the same reason you can put nick a date on a buffalo nickel and reveal the date.

User avatar
Paul
Master Die Variety Examiner
Master Die Variety Examiner
Posts: 18735
Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 9:19 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Has thanked: 896 times
Been thanked: 3258 times

Re: Strange nickel

#7 Unread post by Paul »

diameter = ?
weight = ?

:dunno ,..... dryer nick?
C.O.N.E.C.A. Wi State Rep
Fly-In Club Wi State Rep

aunty
Coining Around
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:28 pm

Re: Strange nickel

#8 Unread post by aunty »

Thank you for your responses! I don't have any way to weigh the "nickel". Guess I will check with a jewler as PetesPocket suggested. I wonder, Daniel, how one would alter a normal nickel to get it to this point without erosion from within? I have had this nickel for over 30 years. I really appreciate everyone's help.

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#9 Unread post by Daniel »

How it happened isn't as important as knowing this doesn't happen during any of the divisions of the minting process and with that being the case we can ascertain that it is post mint damage. I have a couple pennies just like your nickel.

aunty
Coining Around
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:28 pm

Re: Strange nickel

#10 Unread post by aunty »

Sounds like a one-of-a-kind mint error. Would love to see the pictures of your pennies.

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#11 Unread post by Daniel »

They are not mint errors and I have more than one.

aunty
Coining Around
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:28 pm

Re: Strange nickel

#12 Unread post by aunty »

Could you please post photos of your pennies that are like my nickel?

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#13 Unread post by Daniel »

If I get a chance but when I tell you I have something then it's 100% fact. I don't play games.

aunty
Coining Around
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jul 14, 2017 7:28 pm

Re: Strange nickel

#14 Unread post by aunty »

Respectfully, Daniel, just requesting to see the photos, that's all.

PetesPockets55
Forum Supporter
Forum Supporter
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:08 pm
Has thanked: 236 times
Been thanked: 36 times

Re: Strange nickel

#15 Unread post by PetesPockets55 »

My apologies aunty. I should have stuck to asking you for more info instead of making unfounded suggestions.
Pahl1 and Daniel are the experienced professionals. As they both said there are other ways for a coin to be altered after it leaves the mint (by very bored individuals).
Look up chemically altered or dryer coins as Pahl said for information on damaged coins.
But if you still want to satisfy your curiosity you can certainly take it to a jeweler for testing but just be ready for normal (non silver) results.
And I want to thank you again for sharing because that is how we all gain knowledge and understanding.

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#16 Unread post by Daniel »

Here's my thin coins. I found one that is weak and thin and another that seems struck well but it still too thin. The 1910 on the far left is a normal and worn coin for comparison and usually the 1910 is about as thin as they get unless they're no dates.

Suffice it to say I don't claim to know every little thing but over my lifetime I have amassed a large collection of non-mint errors that I have only begun to catalog and add to my website. I know it is long over-due but I am a busy man.

The images are not that great but I was in a hurry.
Attachments
Too-thin-planchet.jpg
Too-thin-planchet-rev.jpg
Too-thin-planchet-side-view.jpg

PetesPockets55
Forum Supporter
Forum Supporter
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:08 pm
Has thanked: 236 times
Been thanked: 36 times

Re: Strange nickel

#17 Unread post by PetesPockets55 »

Thanks Daniel. Very interesting.
So are these Damaged or just thin planchets?

User avatar
Daniel
Administrator
Administrator
Posts: 26127
Joined: Wed Jan 28, 2009 4:59 pm
Location: Ohio
Has thanked: 1121 times
Been thanked: 4073 times
Contact:

Re: Strange nickel

#18 Unread post by Daniel »

The two on the right have been treated with acid so they're damaged.

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6HGSClA80U[/BBvideo]

User avatar
Paul
Master Die Variety Examiner
Master Die Variety Examiner
Posts: 18735
Joined: Wed May 29, 2013 9:19 pm
Location: Wisconsin
Has thanked: 896 times
Been thanked: 3258 times

Re: Strange nickel

#19 Unread post by Paul »

Daniel wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:07 am The two on the right have been treated with acid so they're damaged.

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6HGSClA80U[/BBvideo]
:trophy: teaching example D !! :thumbsup:
C.O.N.E.C.A. Wi State Rep
Fly-In Club Wi State Rep

PetesPockets55
Forum Supporter
Forum Supporter
Posts: 1863
Joined: Sat Sep 21, 2013 6:08 pm
Has thanked: 236 times
Been thanked: 36 times

Re: Strange nickel

#20 Unread post by PetesPockets55 »

Daniel wrote: Thu Jul 27, 2017 6:07 am The two on the right have been treated with acid so they're damaged.

[BBvideo=560,315]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x6HGSClA80U[/BBvideo]
Excellent examples Daniel. Thanks.

Post Reply
  • Similar Topics
    Replies
    Views
    Last post