Unusual state quarter

boiler78 · January 28, 2007 8:30AM

I never dreamed I would be starting a state quarter thread but I received an Oregon state quarter in change yesterday that appears to have been struck on a solid nickel planchet. There is no evidence of a copper core and the coin is slightly heavier than a typical state quarter (5.86 grams) but lighter than the silver planchets. I doubt if this is any great new "discovery" but I thought I'd ask here to see if anyone else has run across this.

TWQG · January 28, 2007 8:33AM

nickel planchet would weigh 5 grams

WinPitcher · January 28, 2007 8:39AM

Could the .86 be because the coin is quarter size?

Steve

fcloud · January 28, 2007 8:41AM

Those tv shows have plated all kinds of state quarters. Some are plated with platinum, some with gold, and probably some with silver. My guess would be you have a plated coin. When people find out they are only worth a quarter some people spend them. I got a gold one in change.

boiler78 · January 28, 2007 8:42AM

This coin is not struck on a planchet intended for a nickel. I was referring to the composition of the planchet. The coin is struck on a quarter size planchet. Sorry for the confusing description.

The coin is definitely not plated??

MrSpud · January 28, 2007 8:43AM

Maybe it is one of those silver or platinum plated ones they sell on the Home Shopping Network?

RKKay · January 28, 2007 8:43AM

SEM-EDX test it.

Regulated · January 28, 2007 8:46AM

Hmmm. Sounds like a great find - a foreign blank, perhaps?

RWB · January 28, 2007 8:51AM

If the coin was struck in nickel, it will be magnetic.

boiler78 · January 28, 2007 8:59AM

RWB- I wished I thought to try that.

This coin is magnetic! Any ideas guys?

Regulated · January 28, 2007 9:01AM

Find the foreign coin manufactured by the US mint that matches the weight of your piece, and you have your answer. If none match, it could be cut from nickel stock, I suppose...

RWB · January 28, 2007 9:02AM

I don't know if Canada is still making blanks for the US Mint, but they have used pure nickel in domestic coinage.

Ck with Fred Weinberg or another error specialist.

FredWeinberg · January 28, 2007 9:59AM

IF we could see a scan of both sides of the
coin, it would be helpful.

From the info in this thread, it sounds like
a novelty-plated item, but we need to
see it to be sure.........

Can you do some scans for us?

Dennis88 · January 31, 2007 6:52AM

Are you going to collect state quarters instead of all those beatiful patterns and other

coins? Bad boy!!!

Dennis

poorguy · January 31, 2007 7:20AM

<< RWB- I wished I thought to try that.

This coin is magnetic! Any ideas guys? >>

Damn, that is one cool state quarter.

I didn't think any planchets still in use were in pure nickel or at least enough nickel for it to be magnetic. I would send it to get slabbed and have them either research it to determine the metal content and possibly slab it as a discovery piece like a modern pattern.

FredWeinberg · January 31, 2007 7:28AM

A Clad Quarter planchet weighs 5.7 grains.

Your Oregon Quarter is 5.86 - it's been plated.

It's one of those "TV" novelty items that has
found it's way into circulation, like the gold-
plated ones........

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but it's
not an off-metal or wrong planchet.

kwmorgan · January 31, 2007 7:34AM

I wonder if the US Mint is testing out Canadian nickel plated steel planchets? Canada uses them for their 5c, 10c and 25c coins. I bet one got mixed into the cupro-nickel planchet bins.

Shamika · January 31, 2007 7:40AM

<< Could the .86 be because the coin is quarter size? >>

Say what? The coin does not gain mass after being struck. The coin will weigh no more than the original planchet.

boiler78 · January 31, 2007 7:52AM

Fred
Your the expert so I will take your word for it. I am curious though why would someone take a coin that is basically nickel in appearance and plate it with nickel? The end result is a coin that looks virtually identical to a regular state quarter. I fail to see the novelty.

Mark

poorguy · January 31, 2007 7:58AM

<< Fred
Your the expert so I will take your word for it. I am curious though why would someone take a coin that is basically nickel in appearance and plate it with nickel? The end result is a coin that looks virtually identical to a regular state quarter. I fail to see the novelty.

Mark >>

Doesn't the fact that it is magnetic mean anything? I would think that the planchet would need to be magnetic (i.e. pure nickel) for it to be magnetic enough to notice it attracting to steel. Would simply plating it with pure nickel make it magnetic? I wouldn't think so.

kwmorgan · January 31, 2007 7:59AM

Also, would just a nickel plating make it magnetic? Canadian pure nickel and nickel plated steel coins are magnetic.

kwmorgan · January 31, 2007 8:04AM

<< Also, would just a nickel plating make it magnetic? Canadian pure nickel and nickel plated steel coins are magnetic. >>

...or maybe the mint got a sheet of pure nickel by mistake?

FredWeinberg · January 31, 2007 8:06AM

When I say "nickel" plated, it could
be nickel, or just something that
has that Nickel-look.

I've seen plated coins that are
magnetic, and some that are
not.

You'd be surprised what people do
to coins when they are either bored,
or have acesss to a machine shop
or plating machinery, and so-on.

In this case, given the weight,
I'd bet the surfaces are nice and bright,
and shiny, and probably, repeat probably,
the surfaces do not show any original
mint luster.

cladking · January 31, 2007 8:08AM

<< 

<< Could the .86 be because the coin is quarter size? >>

Say what? The coin does not gain mass after being struck. The coin will weigh no more than the original planchet. >>

WinPitcher may have meant that it was struck on a quarter blank made from nickel stock.

It would be significantly heavier than this though.

There are large numbers of these plated coins out there. There will be many more of these
turning up as time goes on. They are plated in various metals that are called platinum, silver,
and gold but are not necessarily actually the metal indicated. One of these companies used
no platinum in their "platinum" plated coins. Apparently 20 or 30 cents is too much for them
to spend on a coin that they sell for $19.95.

poorguy · January 31, 2007 8:08AM

<< When I say "nickel" plated, it could
be nickel, or just something that
has that Nickel-look.

I've seen plated coins that are
magnetic, and some that are
not.

You'd be surprised what people do
to coins when they are either bored,
or have acesss to a machine shop
or plating machinery, and so-on.

In this case, given the weight,
I'd bet the surfaces are nice and bright,
and shiny, and probably, repeat probably,
the surfaces do not show any original
mint luster. >>

That's why you da' man.

kwmorgan · January 31, 2007 8:13AM

Very true on people playing around. I remember plating copper cents in middle school chemistry.

FredWeinberg · January 31, 2007 8:14AM

Thanks,

But I think You're Da Man

with those cool sunglasses!!

notlogical · January 31, 2007 8:35AM

Hope it turns out to be something really

Mr. Hagen!

Writersblock · January 31, 2007 9:06AM

Is it strongly magnetic (jumps to the magnet) or weakly magnetic (magnet will barely pull it around or is barely able to lift it etc.)?

A nickel plated coin will be weakly magnetic (assuming the underlying material is not also magnetic). A Canadian quarter planchet being nickel plated steel would be strongly magnetic, but it would also be lighter than a US quarter.

Unusual state quarter

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