What exactly is it that causes coins to wear down into a crusty circulated coin?

opportunity · July 21, 2014 5:26AM

I have a few ugly key dates and type coins, but with plenty of meat left on them. I've made them into pocket pieces, and as I'm fairly active, I'm hoping they will wear down eventually and look better, like crusty original coins, only lower grade (no coin doctor). But, what is it that actually wears coins down? Is it friction against other coins, mainly? Or sliding them across tables thousands of times? What determines if one is going to be ugly or nice and original? Should I add anything else to my coin pocket other than coins?

tightbudget · July 21, 2014 5:32AM

It's mostly friction against other coins that affects wear. There are a million factors that affect "nice and original" but if I had to guess, it's mostly due to the oils in the skin, humidity, air quality, etc.

I could be wrong about the second one.

opportunity · July 21, 2014 5:46AM

According to the US Mint website, it takes about 25 years for the average coin to wear out...hopefully it won't take that long to knock some AU details coins down a couple notches

TommyType · July 21, 2014 5:50AM

I think the trouble with this, (not that I've ever tried it myself), is that you end up with a pretty white coin, and any scratches/scuffs LOOK fresh. It may take another 10 or 15 years of just sitting around to get it to "market acceptable".

Just guessing....

Although, I go back and forth on whether I should attempt to re-habilitate my whizzed AU 20-cent piece in this manner.

COALPORTER · July 21, 2014 5:53AM

<< <i>According to the US Mint website, it takes about 25 years for the average coin to wear out...hopefully it won't take that long to knock some AU details coins down a couple notches

>>

I have been keeping the same house keys for 20 years, and they are now
starting to look Fine to Very Fine, so I guess clad coins would be similar

Boosibri · July 21, 2014 6:07AM

I'm sorry, but what am I missing. If these really are key date coins why devalue them? Why not just sell them and buy what you like?

BillJones · July 21, 2014 7:14AM

Mostly it is friction against other objects, which includes other coins. When it comes to "crusty" nature takes a tole, especially with copper and other reactive coinage metals. When coins sit in moist places, they will tone. This is especially true for copper coins and a little less so for copper-nickel pieces. The film that forms on these coins is not good. It will result in corrosion if it is not checked over time.

BTW, why do you want to look like a Feringue (sp) from "Star Trek?" They were not "good people" and the type of folks I avoid as a collector. I'll match wits with them when necessary, but I most definitely do not respect them.

19Lyds · July 21, 2014 9:06AM

Wear amounts to hits and rubs where hits create high spots which the rubs eventually grind off.

The key to quick coin wear is to eliminate the rims. This allows easier access to the devices that the rims are designed to protect.

The downside to a "pocket piece" is that serious damage can occur from contact woith items other than coins which always seem to end up in guys pockets. Keys, paperclips, 45 Automatics, etc.

Cougar1978 · July 21, 2014 9:58AM

Dirt, grime, finger oils, food oils. The guy had fried chicken and pays for his beer with the coin with sticky fingers.

toyz4geo · July 21, 2014 11:05AM

Time...........being spent over and over and over.

AUandAG · July 21, 2014 11:08AM

<< <i>Dirt, grime, finger oils, food oils. The guy had fried chicken and pays for his beer with the coin with sticky fingers. >>

+1

and add that jeans like to collect lint, dirt, etc just from the hands in and out. Most working men had overalls or jeans and
rarely washed them. Levi's last longer when not washed. So be it.

bob

BustHalfBrian · July 21, 2014 11:10AM

The dealers I see exiting restrooms at coin shows without washing their hands.

Baley · July 21, 2014 11:46AM

there is no "exactly"... each coin's journey from the mint to your hand is unique. Usually, like when a person's looks and personality are "seasoned" by their experiences, the ones that end up "wholesome" have had natural adventures and a minimum of abuse or "reconstructive repair work" done on them

mustangmanbob · July 21, 2014 11:53AM

I bought some plain 90% that had spent time in a restaurant fountain.

Not a good way to age a coin, and it all went to melt.

ProofArtworkonCircs · July 21, 2014 1:26PM

<<According to the US Mint website, it takes about 25 years for the average coin to wear out...hopefully it won't take that long to knock some AU details coins down a couple notches>>

A lot depends on the material the coin is made of. 1932 quarters in 1964 were very well worn, but a 1965 quarter today still has a lot of life left.

Pure nickel coins had the longest longevity. I don' know if anybody still uses that today.

cladking · July 22, 2014 12:44AM

Any coin will look fine after wearing down far enough unless it has gouges or deep
corrosion in the low areas around design features. Polished coins will need extensive
wear to smooth out the polishising.

A pocket works well for natural wear but omit heavy items and avoid very hard materials
that might scratch. "Natural wear" is the vector sum total of how a culture uses coins in
commerce. Just be sure to omit "casino use" from your means.

Speaking of which, the largest danger to your collectible coins used as pocket pieces is that
you'll inadvertantly spend them. Of course watch for holes in pockets and be aware that
mens trousers now days have a handy dandy new feature of expelling things from the
pockets if you sit "wrong". (everything you can buy is garbage now)

SAM5969 · July 22, 2014 12:47AM

This can be answered in one word
Nature

steveben · July 22, 2014 1:08AM

if they are problem coins and you are trying to wear them down to make them look like lower grade non-problem coins...forget it. just get rid of them and move on.

Ajjohnson77 · July 22, 2014 1:22AM

Physics and chemistry.

veryfine · July 22, 2014 2:20AM

I have a common date Fine-12 Barber half that was polished. There's nothing more repulsive than a polished, heavily circulated silver coin, so I did some experimenting.
I kept it as a pocket piece, rattling around with the change in my front pocket for about a year.

The results:
It was worn down to a VG but the shiny, polished surface was still there.

Overdate · July 22, 2014 4:48AM

<< <i>BTW, why do you want to look like a Feringue (sp) from "Star Trek?" They were not "good people" and the type of folks I avoid as a collector. I'll match wits with them when necessary, but I most definitely do not respect them. >>

That's Quark, the Ferengi bartender from Deep Space Nine, a more interesting and complex character than most of his species.

I plan to sell him my 1909 VDB cent as soon as I retrieve it from Mars.

cladking · July 22, 2014 11:37AM

<< <i>if they are problem coins and you are trying to wear them down to make them look like lower grade non-problem coins...forget it. just get rid of them and move on. >>

This might be good advice for some people but I've worn down many hundreds of problem
coins to raise their value. Some coins with light cleaning can be essentially worthless before
spending a few days in the pocket or a smoky enviroment. Some require more work but most
anything that isn't polished can be fixed without too much effort. The biggest problem for me was
always accidently spending them.

What exactly is it that causes coins to wear down into a crusty circulated coin?

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