The allure of copper nickel.

cladking

Ok, it's just a retread of a US coin forum post but it applies here and I've been
thinking a lot about world coins recently.




It doesn't have the sweet ring of silver or the reassuring heft of gold. It rarely turns
the deep red that copper often does and doesn't "evaporate" in circulation like alum-
inum. It rarely has enough value to buy much of a meal nor does inspire collectors. It
wears dies quickly so many cu/ ni coins are unattractive from the day they are minted.

But it does have some great properties not shared by other coining materials. It wears
remarkably well. Despite being used widely and increasingly for coinage since the 1860's
only very few coins have worn sufficiently to need to be recoined. These are the US shield
nickel, V-nickel, Haitian five and ten cents, and the Ghanian Pesewa and fractionals. There
are a few currently circulating which might reach this point and the Fed probably should
start thinking about getting some of the most heavily worn quarters out of circulation. The
metal is so hard and durable that it wears for many years. Its lightness prevents much
wear as they slide across surfaces and each other in coin drawers and counting machines.

For the main part this metal has been used as a substitute for silver which causes collectors
to shun them. The coins circulate and are worn and then melted rather than going into col-
lections and hordes. As they are circulating they will usually be some of the most truly ran-
domly circulating coins. In most places and at most times collectors and the public are not
pulling out the better examples or setting them aside for a rainy day. This allows an observer
to see how coins move about in commerce in different regions.

It's interesting how the early clads seemed to not wear at all for years. This was mostly per-
ception and also caused by the fact that in those days the Fed did not rotate coin stocks. Old
coins straight from the mint might sit for years before they were released to circulation. 1965
and '68-D quarters were still being released in 1975 ! Various dates would wear at various
speeds dependent on annealing characteristics and the type of rim used for that date. Dimes
were especially interesting since they wore much more slowly with their lighter weight and low-
er turn over in circulation.

copper nickel is an attractive metal but it requires some learning to see it. It also is much more
attractive when pristine surfaces mellow with age. Often this mellowing will have a yellowish
cast but other colors are possible. The metal can appear to be very finely grained.

Generally 75% copper alloyed with 25% nickel is my favorite but pure nickel, and copper nickel
clad are als among my favorites. Now with the cost of the US nickel coin over 5c one is left to
ponder what the fate of this coin will be. Will there be a switch to aluminum and the old coin re-
main in circulation or will we follow Canada's example and recoin these in a cheaper metal.

bosox

Here's a copper-nickel coin that I am very fond of.

MacCrimmon

Here's an old friend which came from an original, virgin bank roll. The roll was broken up in about 1985. Sadly, it was long ago sold...

SYRACUSIAN

Although not colorful,this is the most impressive looking business strike cu-ni coin I've seen to date.




These Swiss rappens can get nice colours too,Switzerland was perhaps the only country that did not silently extend the LMU agreement to its 5 and 10 centimes coins, the other countries opted for copper or bronze instead, 5 and 10 grams accordingly. Even the 20 rappen is a mystery, as it should have been a tiny .825 silver coin according to the LMU rules.


I think that what is said about collectors generally disliking this alloy is true, at least for me it is, the flat designs that are now on most modern coins first appeared on them too.
The Greek cu ni coins rarely ever tone, but when they do, such as a nice 1962 and 1926 set that I own, they obtain a very distinct pastel pink blue light colour that makes them very attractive and desirable. There are also some late 19th century ones from Greece due to state financial troubles and lack of silver at the time of which I do not own a single one,it's a very dull design by Borrel that appeared elsewhere as well. I guess I kind of always considered them collectably inferior and they've never become a priority to obtain them, even though one of them, the 1893 20L is in the list of the top 20 Greek rarities and priced accordingly.

bosox

The favorite copper nickel coin in my collection. A trial piece of an 1858 Canada cent struck in copper nickel. Struck by the royal mint to show the prospective design of the new Canada cents to the decision makers. I have always wondered if HRH Victoria actually inspected this coin (and the handful of others struck). Perhaps not, but food for the imagination. Charlton PC-7.