Lamination error?
apiary8
Posts: 16 ✭
in Q & A Forum
Am I looking at a lamination error? The obverse is a bronze color. The reverse is the normal color.
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Specifications from US Mint:
The dollar coin features distinguishing traits including: a golden color, extra-wide border, smooth edge like the nickel's, and specially designed alloy. Specifically, the Golden Dollar is: 8.1 grams in weight, 2 mm thick, and 26.5 mm in diameter. The coins physical makeup is a three-layer clad construction - pure copper sandwiched between and metallurgically bonded to outer layers of manganese brass.
Manganese brass composition:
77% copper
12% zinc
7% manganese
4% nickel
Golden Dollar's overall composition:
88.5% copper
6% zinc
3.5% manganese
2% nickel
@apiary8 Please post an edge pic and what is then thickness if the Sac?
Looks like toning on a 19yo Sac.
Just toned on one side. Coin has been sitting somewhere for a while that it didn't get turned over to allow the other side to tone. Take a new one out of a roll and put it in your window sill for 6 months without moving it, you will see the same effect.
A lamination looks like something is peeling from the surface or a split in the surface. Sometimes they fall off (detached) often leaving a crater-like, linear depression.
BTW, over the years I've graded well over 300K of these things fresh from the mint (not something any human should aspire to do) and have only seen three that would qualify. Lots of the coins have been discolored, apparently from the annealing stage of manufacture.
@Insider2 thank you for that tidbit. Peace Roy
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BTW - if this had been what the OP thought it was, wouldn't it have been a "split planchet before striking" error, or, being a clad coin, a "missing clad layer" error?
Not necessarily. Any solid alloy coin can develop a lamination. There are several causes for these imperfections we find on struck coins of all types and all ages. I've seen laminated Roman coins!
Well, thanks for all of the input. Looks like I don't have anything special.
Well you do have a Sac before the edge lettering.
I agree. I guess my point was that when a clad coin is missing a full layer isn't it called something other than a "lamination"?
“Missing Full Clad Before Strike”
http://www.error-ref.com/missing-full-clad-before-strike/
Took awhile to find because I searched using “lamination”, took that word out and I think this is what you are referring to @JBK.
Well my kitchen scale says it weighs 6 grams and I am coming up with a thickness of 1.57mm. Still not sure what to think.
Do you have another 2000P Sac to compare edgewise with pic?
I weighed another 2000P and my scale said 8g. Check out the difference in thickness. Easy to see with the naked eye. I am pretty sure it's not toning.
Looking like it is missing a layer. Nice find. Keeper.
Have no idea of value, best way to check is recent auctons at HA or GC, maybe EB.
Any normal day your coin would be a simple case of different toning on each side.
But, I agree it appears to be missing an outer layer.
Next question - where had that coin been to puck up all the tarnish? Being light it presumably would not work in vending machines. Pls be sure to handle it properly in order to avoid any further damage.
Nice find!