1982 D Nickle (Copper)

[Reme84]

Copper or missing top layer?

[Reme84]

[Reme84]

[Greenstang]

Jefferson Nickels are made of a copper/nickel alloy (except the war years) so there is no "layer".

It looks like your coin has environmental toning.

[Reme84]

What does that mean?

[Mohawk]

43 minutes ago, Reme84 said:

What does that mean?

Environmental toning (or environmental damage) is caused by the metal that composes a coin reacting to other chemical agents in the environment through circulation and any other means.  The chemical reactions cause changes in the metal of the coin and, through that, the appearance of the coin.  Your 1982 nickel is darkly colored because the copper in the alloy reacted with a chemical agent which caused the coin to gain the dark coloration.

[Just Bob]

It probably spent some time lying in the dirt, or in some other substance that stained it or caused it to change color.

[JKK]

It could also be crudulation, a highly technical term for "picked up some crud along the way."

[Greenstang]

Quote

crudulation,

Just learned a new word. Always learn something new on this forum and its experts.

[JKK]

2 minutes ago, Greenstang said:

Just learned a new word. Always learn something new on this forum and its experts.

I thought of making it 'encrudulation,' but that seemed needlessly long, like "orientate." At some point, one feels, one must avoid coining baroque terms where the extra syllables add little.

[Mohawk]

36 minutes ago, JKK said:

It could also be crudulation, a highly technical term for "picked up some crud along the way."

Indeed it could Jonathan.....this could definitely be a case of crudulation.  Jefferson nickels seem prone to that particular ailment.