1976 Kennedy Half Appears Silver - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 2,450
jdh New Member United States 31 Posts	Posted 09/05/2010 10:54 pm From a roll, I found a 1976 Kennedy half that sure looks silver: "tarnishy" surfaces, and solid white/gray edge. But there's no "S" mintmark. 1. Is there such a thing as a 1976 no MM struck on a silver planchet? Sure seems unlikely. 2. Or, what kind of post-mint alteration would produce this? A dip in some material? Sorry I can't post a pic -- camera is on the fritz. JDH Report this Post to the Staff

vermontensium Moderator United States 16681 Posts	Posted 09/05/2010 11:09 pm There would be the possibility that the mintmark was Struck Through Grease. I would suggest weighing the coin. swcoin.ecrater.com Report this Post to the Staff
Secret Argent Man Valued Member United States 320 Posts	Posted 09/06/2010 5:42 pm Weighing it is good, and more definitive, but in case you don't have a scale immediately another option is the tissue paper test. Take a known nickel clad, a known silver, and this coin. Lay them all on a table and put the tissue paper over them. Looking through the paper, there's going to be a marked difference in color between the silver & nickel...compare the new coin to those, and then you'll know. Report this Post to the Staff
Conder101 Bedrock of the Community United States 17884 Posts	Posted 09/07/2010 11:12 am You must consider though that a silver plated clad coin will look like silver, tarnish like silver, and will fool the tissue test. (Although it will show more like a 90% silver coin and no 90% silver blanks were used in 1976) The tolerance range for the clad and 40% silver halves are broad enough that there is considerable overlap in their weight ranges so that isn't a good test either. The definitive test would be a specific gravity test. (8.92 compared to 9.53) Report this Post to the Staff
just carl Bedrock of the Community United States 20753 Posts	Posted 09/07/2010 4:54 pm Of course you could just take out a good torch and see what happens when you melt it. Don't have a hot enough torch? Simple. Go to most flea markets and look for a jewler that makes/or repairs jewlery. Have him melt it and if Silver, he'll tell you. Maybe. Could try a coin store. Of course if you want to sell it they'll tell you it's made of Lead. My best suggestion is to put it in a 2x2, lable as rare pure Silver coin, put up on ebay for sale. AND don't forget to mention NEVER SEARCHED. Report this Post to the Staff
jdh New Member United States 31 Posts	Posted 09/07/2010 10:11 pm "unsearched" Too funny! I'll try the tissue test. And if I ever meet someone who works in a lab, I'll try the specific gravity test. But I will not try the torch test! Report this Post to the Staff
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