What happened to this coin? Do you know how to recognize certain types of common damage on coins? Take the Poll #4 (Intermediate) 1 1

[Mike Meenderink]

Look at the coin below carefully. Make your best assessment as to how this coin was damaged. The surface of the coin holds the key. Authentic coin. You may explain your answer/vote in the post below.  After 10 votes I will reveal the answer.  Goodluck!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Edited November 24, 2023 by Mike Meenderink

[Mike Meenderink]

[VKurtB]

YIKES! Nicer date, too.

[Mike Meenderink]

On 11/27/2023 at 9:31 AM, VKurtB said:

YIKES! Nicer date, too.

Vote please..

[Mike Meenderink]

VOTE NOW!

[Greenstang]

I voted Environmental Damage

[Mike Meenderink]

We need 4 more votes! Looks like a consensus is being reached. We need 4 more gunners... Vote now!

[samclemen3991]

I can see corrosion damage but unless you did it yourself it would be hard to be that specific.  james

[numisport]

Full detail key date looks to have been in the ground or stored in a damp moist environment.

[CIII]

Acid/chemical damage?

[Mike Meenderink]

On 12/2/2023 at 7:11 AM, samclemen3991 said:

I can see corrosion damage but unless you did it yourself it would be hard to be that specific.  james

Actually, it's not. The damage on this coin is specific and easily recognized. It is one of the most common types of damage on old coins. The whole point of this exercise is to be specific.

[Mike Meenderink]

2 more votes until answer!  VOTE!

[J P M]

On 12/3/2023 at 8:21 AM, Mike Meenderink said:

Actually, it's not. The damage on this coin is specific and easily recognized. It is one of the most common types of damage on old coins. The whole point of this exercise is to be specific.

 

On 12/3/2023 at 8:21 AM, Mike Meenderink said:

The whole point of this exercise is to be specific.

Ok well, this is a southern coin. New Years eve around 1889 Billy Bob Joe was walking down that red dirt road after drinking that dog gone white lightening old man McCoy cooks up. Well, he dun passed out halfway between here and there and all the change fell out of his overalls and coin purse into that red dirt and he never knew it. One hundred years later Billy Bob Joe's Great Grandson. Mike Meenderink was walking down the same road meandering about when he found the old coin purse his Great Grandfather talked about so much. This is one of those long-lost coins. .............Hows that Mike am I being specific enough......... PS I did vote 

[Mike Meenderink]

We have reached 10 votes. I will now reveal the answer to the poll. If you voted environmental damage/corrosion due to burial in moist soils you are correct. The verdigris and copper spots (which are permanent & fatal for the coin) present as greenish powder and black gooey stains and are a telltale sign on a copper or copper nickel coin that the coin has been buried (this doesn't take long to happen) in moist soil. Liberty Head Nickels are 75% copper and 25% nickel. The rough surface of the coin shows evidence of prior corrosion while buried (this takes a long time) and loss of metal leaving the surface pock marked, mushy and wavy. The color of the coin is also an indicator that it was buried. The reddish color is partly due to the make-up of the soil it was buried in. This type of environmental damage from moist soil burial has a different appearance and surface than a coin buried in dry soils. Dry soil coins are darker and do not have as severe pitting or surface damage. Thanks for participating see you next time!

Edited December 3, 2023 by Mike Meenderink

[samclemen3991]

This post reminds me of two articles David Q. Bowers wrote for Coin World in the 1990's.

    In the first article he asked 10 experts who were members of something called the Silver Dollar roundtable to offer their grade on 12 silver dollars.  He failed to get even as many as 6 members to give the same grade on any one coin.  he was surprised to see grades as far apart as AU to MS 66 on the same coin.

     In a subsequent article he asked 10 individuals who were currently employed as graders at various services to examine 12 various coins he selected.  He asked them to just state whether they thought the coin should be slabbed and if not why?  To his surprise he could not get more than 5 members to agree on whether a coin should be slabbed and  found a variety of reasons for each coin that was denied.

    His final conclusion was this, "Anytime someone is showing you a coin that is more than 100 years old and talking in absolutes and universals my advice to you is suspend belief and hold on to your wallet."

  Good luck in your future collecting.  James