1943 Clad Nickel With Copper Layer

@uni, first welcome to CCF. Second, it looks like someone left this nickel in a bezel or band of some sort. I hoping that it is accidental rather than purposeful as it sounds like this took the place of a silver quarter.

I think Spence is correct, it looks like a copper bezel was left on the coin.

to the CCF!

I'm unclear how this could be a copper bezel. Nothing is added to the diameter of the coin. Nothing extends past the edge of the coin. Does anyone have an pic I could look at. Everything I see online appears to be quite thick.

@uni, if you use the keyword BEZEL with the CCF search box, you'll see many different coins with a variety of bezels. Here is a link to one somewhat similar:

http://goccf.com/t/361708

Your nickel is the correct weight and diameter for silver War Nickel.

It seems more likely that the copper coloration on the edge you are seeing is the result of some reaction to contact with something else, either a bezel that has since been removed or some non archival quality paper/cardboard in a whitman style folder perhaps. War Nickels were after all 56% copper, but an alloy and not clad.

The correct diameter rules out a Dryer Coin and a bezel still attached, but since no nickel has ever been clad that option is equally unlikely.

to the CCF!

Really all you have to do is explain how in 1943, clad stock got into the nickel punch sheeting, and was punched out as nickel size and then struck, instead of the normal 35% silver it was supposed to be for that year and design. Anything like this you really have to ask, "how is what I'm seeing plausible or possible to be mint made?". If you can't explain how it would happen at the mint, it didn't happen at the mint.

Remember, 1943 was 35% silver alloy. other nickels were nickel and copper alloy, "clad" quarters and dimes and halves started in 1965 and 1971 for halves.

So, how is this possible to be what you think it is when clad comes in 21 years later?

the clear answer here is post mint damage. maybe locked in and spun around in a copper bolo tie or belt buckle and picked up copper on the edge over the years or something, I don't know, but what you suspect it is, seems to be impossible since pre-1965 coins were alloys, not plated, or clad.

One thing is for sure, The U.S. wasn't doing clad composition in 1943, or before, and not until decades later. the only reason the composition changes for those years was copper and nickel were in short supply for WWII.

I am NOT saying this happened (cause it did not) but rather giving you a answer to your closed-minded question.