Food for thought on the longevity of zinc cents
Son_Son
Posts: 6 ✭
https://www.reddit.com/r/coins/comments/cv89nt/recently_opened_up_my_lincoln_cent_coin_folder/
Not sure if everyone here reads other forums and thought that would be interesting for anyone.
It is common knowledge that zinc cents corrode quickly in adverse conditions but this is the first case study I have seen of damage to coins that were at least out of circulation.
They say it may have been stored in non climate controlled surroundings but based of the condition of the folder and the clean areas of the coin, it isn't like it was in a flood.
That's a lot of deterioration since 1987. What will even the best zinc cents look like in 100 years? 200?
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Check out the condition of many zinc cents that were just thrown into a jar at home.
Wow. And I was just thinking about building an unplated zincoln collection
When 4 billion to 12 billion coins are being struck annually, one can rest assured that there will be millions upon millions of zincents that survive in adequate condition for future collectors. Not gonna worry about this.
Perhaps like American Plantation Tokens.
Probably a lot like the people who've got them in their collections today.
The zincolns do deteriorate quickly and cannot handle the abuse that copper cents traditionally have endured. In the dirt, they rot very fast...parking lots fairly eat them....I am surprised at the album rot in the OP though...Cheers, RickO
I think that is a Whitman holder. Mine did the same thing. The old ones are still ok.
Looks like the Zinc was reacting with the acids used to make the paper in the albums.
H₂SO₄ + Zn = ZnSO₄ + H₂↑
or
Zn + HCl → ZnCl₂ + H₂↑
9 of the 10 most expensive Lincoln Memorial rolls are zincolns.
All those copper cents are not common and the attrition is nearly 2% annually. The zinc coins have a far higher attrition. Some of the early dates have always been extremely difficult to find well made in nice condition but since nobody cares and zinc is so ephemeral the attrition is nearly 5%.
It just doesn't take long for such a high attrition to whittle down even large numbers to nothing.
The toughest nice zincoln is the '84 but they're all bad so they're only $5 a roll. The most expensive is the '86-D ($18) but this might be because they come so nice. Try finding quantities of any of these. ...And then look in the rolls.
@cladking One billion equals 1,000 million. There will always be very many passable zincents for those folks who wish to chase the ever elusive will-o'-the-whisp.
I am pretty sure that folder spent time in an extremely humid environment (cellar, garage, etc.), and the high moisture content in the paper reacted wirh the edges.
And this is why I don't salt my food. Peace Roy
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I do think that over a very long period, say 200+ years, most currently well preserved Zincolns will degrade. What demand will be like in 200 years is obviously of no concern to any of us, but well preserved Zincolns could be pretty uncommon.
i never got into the zinc cents. they go to Elam to quick and corrode for me
There is already precedent (sort of). We have zinc coated steel (1943) as well as assorted since foreign coins. Many did not survive very well, but some collectable examples do exist.
If any of you are upset about a failure in your Zincoln in 100 years, come to me, and I will let you pick from my well preserved ones.
Gee, perhaps some entrepreneur can someday "reprocess" zincents just as steel cents were once reprocessed - but in copper color, of course.
Opportunity knocks!