Plated but the simplest test is to flip it and then a clad do the same. If they sound the same, test over....I think it is plated but you never know but getting graded is a waste...imho.
The best method to find out is what Bobby said. I would call a few buy it now shops and see if they have a XRF scanner that you can have them test it, other then whats been suggested that which you have tried. I think plated coins are fairly detectable with your naked eye, check out other silver Kennedy halves you have and compare, do the tissue test on both and see any difference. And if there is you know what you have.
I also think it may be plated in chrome, it just doesn't look right on the obverse. I go through about 8k-12k halves per week and unfortunately there are many attempts to make non silver coins look silver, I think the main reason is to frustrate coin roll hunters.
Quote: normal battery of tests at The Black Cabinet..
Be careful not to take for gospel all that is written on this web site w/r/t to the diamagnetism test & its applicability to verifying Ag (silver) coins.
The following statement appears on Black Cabinet:
"Criteria #3: Diamagnetism
If it doesn't stick to a magnet, then we can test for a diamagnetic reaction. For this, however, you will need a very strong neodymium button magnet, which you can purchase at most scientific supply stores.
Slide the magnet down the surface of the coin. If it slides swiftly off the surface with little to no resistance, it's likely a fake. If the coin is made of silver, a magnet should slide very slowly over its surface. Be careful not to interpret a false-positive, though, as a magnet will also slide slowly over other metals such as copper, aluminum, and lead; however, it will slide noticeably slower over sliver. Be sure to check the slide with a genuine silver piece of the same fineness for reference."
Make your own decision insofar as applicability after viewing this seven minute youtube video clearly showing virtually no difference between clad and Ag coins using this test:
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If you do not wish to watch the entire video, then check out only Mercury vs modern dimes at 3:06.
regards,
mdpmedia
*** Edited by Staff to add YouTube tags. Please use them in the future. We prefer embedded video. ***
This video also uses a swing rig which is not by any means the most efficient method and is horridly imprecise. It is certainly dramatic for larger coins, though, but is completely insufficient for smaller ones like quarters and dimes where it is not nearly precise enough to observe the differences between the stronger diamagnetic force of silver vs the weaker force of copper. :-)
This is why sliding a magnet *directly* over the face of the coin through a flip (or vice versa, i.e. sliding the coin in a slip over an inclined surface of a bigger magnet or an embedded magnet) is best.
No test, should never be taken as proof in isolation.
However, it would be very helpful if someone could recommend an accurate, portable, and economical SG machine that one could lug around in their car's trunk.
This machine would be nice to use since many CCF folks look down upon the scratching of a coin's rim on a stone for subsequent testing with acid. Although it appears to be harmless, I do have to agree that it is nonetheless destructive in nature.
I can personally vouch for this since once I owned up to performing this scratch test on the rim of a gold coin before and felt like I was excoriated in the thread.
Now I know better and feel that SG testing is the way to go IMHO.
OK, I get that there are times when these tests might be something to consider. But, this is NOT one of those times. The test here is, what date is it? 1972? NOT silver. Done.
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Posted 12/13/2014 10:19 pm
