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Any Reason A 1976 S Quarter Might Have A Golden Tint?

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 Posted 05/23/2025  06:29 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add nickelsearcher to your friends list
Environmental exposure can be the cause.
Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art
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 Posted 05/23/2025  06:33 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add JimmyD to your friends list
It all depends on what the coin was exposed to.
I have some 50 cent coins that are a nice hue of gold on
one side but normal on the other side.
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 Posted 05/23/2025  06:43 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Spence to your friends list
Don't forget about after-market gold plating (not the case on the OP's coins, but certainly one way that quarters might be that color).
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 Posted 05/23/2025  09:18 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add HondoB to your friends list
Quite a few Bicentennial coins were gold-plated and sold as collector's items. A picture of the edge would be telling.
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 Posted 05/23/2025  11:23 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Errers and Varietys to your friends list
Probably environmental toning.
Errers and Varietys.
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 Posted 05/23/2025  6:02 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mystic Wolf to your friends list

Quote:
*** Edited by Staff to Add Year and/or Mintmark and/or Denomination to Title. It's essential to have it in the title. ***


Noted, thank you! &🙏;;#127996;#10084;#65039;
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 Posted 05/23/2025  6:09 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mystic Wolf to your friends list

Quote:
Being majority copper, such golden toning on a quarter is relatively common.


Really? I had no idea, thanks!



Quote:
Quite a few Bicentennial coins were gold-plated and sold as collector's items. A picture of the edge would be telling.



Here are pics of the edge from both sides. Is it possible to tell from these?

Any-Reason-A-1976-S-Quarter-Might-Have-A-Golden-Tint?
Any-Reason-A-1976-S-Quarter-Might-Have-A-Golden-Tint?
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 Posted 05/23/2025  6:38 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add HondoB to your friends list
Definitely not a plated coin - otherwise the edge would be gold-colored too. Your coin is just showing environmental toning as everyone has said.
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 Posted 05/23/2025  8:10 pm  Show Profile   Check Brandmeister's eBay Listings Bookmark this reply Add Brandmeister to your friends list
I agree with others, a light golden toning is not unusual on proof quarters, depending on how they were stored.

This coin is obviously a cupronickel clad proof. However, I just wanted to mention that bicentennial proof quarters were also struck in 40% silver. The 80% silver, 20% copper cladding on the coin faces often tones a light golden color. Just to be clear, this coin is not a silver proof, but that is something to keep in mind, as the bicentennial coins had more options than most years.
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 Posted 05/23/2025  8:31 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mystic Wolf to your friends list

Quote:
Definitely not a plated coin - otherwise the edge would be gold-colored too. Your coin is just showing environmental toning as everyone has said.


Thank you, that's what I was hoping to hear! Not that there's anything wrong with "decorating" coins, but I have way too much to learn, still, before even thinking about adding another - & non-essential - variable to the equation!
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 Posted 05/23/2025  9:08 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list
I rather like golden toned copper nickel coins .
No extra value.
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 Posted 05/23/2025  9:12 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mystic Wolf to your friends list

Quote:
I agree with others, a light golden toning is not unusual on proof quarters, depending on how they were stored.


Very interesting, thanks!



Quote:
Just to be clear, this coin is not a silver proof...



But do you think that this definitely IS a proof? Or just "might" be?

Because I've been using the CoinSnap app to help me assess & catalog coins for the past few months as part of my learning process, and although decent, it'll occasionally insist the newest entry is a proof or silver coin, which I've learned to interpret as definitely NOT a proof or silver coin. It told me this quarter is both, so I assumed it's neither.

To my amateur eyes, there's too much color on the reeding to qualify for the higher percentage of silver. And although it DOES resemble proofs I've seen in photos, the app's been wrong every time so I've learned not to get my hopes up & to operate under the assumption that it isn't.

Plus, I found it in the absolute LEAST likely place I can think of to ever randomly find a proof, especially not one in such good condition: the change machine at a seedy, derelict, 24-hour coin-operated laundromat.
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 Posted 05/25/2025  1:59 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jbuck to your friends list
I agree. It is a clad proof quarter and the colour is from toning, nothing more.
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 Posted 05/25/2025  6:39 pm  Show Profile   Check Brandmeister's eBay Listings Bookmark this reply Add Brandmeister to your friends list
Yup. Somebody broke up a mint set and spent the clad proof quarter. Could have been a dealer who found a scratched proof and just used it for face value change.
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