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Radioactive silver form WW-II ?

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Happened to notice the old story of WW-II radioactive silver bullion popping up in a hobby publication. This was based on post-war speculation, not research. It is likely just another 'numis-myth.'

 

"A uranium processing facility was built in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. The purpose was to enrich uranium with the U-235 isotope which could be used in a weapon. The facility, called Y-12, contained several large racetrack-shaped isotopic separators or “calutrons.” These used giant electromagnets to deflect the slightly heavier U-238 atoms into one collector and slightly lighter U-235 atoms into another. Normally the electromagnet windings would have been made from copper wire, but copper was a critical war material. Because silver has slightly better electrical conducting properties than copper, and was not on the critical war materials list, the Oak Ridge scientists borrowed 14,700 tons of fine silver from the Treasury. This was used to make the necessary wire and bus bars for the calutrons. After the war, most of the silver (less fabrication and smelting losses) was returned to the Treasury Department."

 

[From National Gold, draft in progress.]

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So there were "reports" of silver coins being radioactive? Highly dubious. The silver used was used in wiring, and most likely never came anywhere near the actual uranium.

 

There were however souvenir Mercury dimes which were subjected to neutron embardment, and then encased in holders. My grandma has one of these.

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NN apparently published this in their current issue. Also, someone on the PCGS boards picked it up as true.

 

("Just reading the Coin Clinic by Alan Herbert in the July 26th edition of Numismatic News where he answers a question about 65 million ounces of silver that the Atomic Energy Commission borrowed from the Treasury stock pile to use in work connected to the atomic bomb.")

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I guess I'm not understanding what you are saying is not true. Did the atom smashers borrow silver from the Treasury or not? It was my understanding, and it is well known numis-myth that they did, and this silver was returned to the Treasury.

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They borrowed the silver, then returned nearly all of it. None of it was radioactive....that seems to be the myth: radioactive silver.

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In Tonto's memoirs, he said he could never figure out the aura that surrounded the Lone Ranger, especially when they were sitting around the campfire, guess this explains a lot.

 

I wrote a post about the Manhattan Project here with pictues and everything.

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