Posted 10/24/2011 11:17 am
The real purpose of the clad composition was to create a material that would be difficult to counterfeit. The explosion bonding needed for creating the strip put it out of the reach of the typical counterfeiter. The stroy about it being done to match the electrical conductivity and electromagnet properties of silver is hogwash because it DOESN'T match those properties as compared to silver. Also the coin mechanisms in the vending machines of that era were strictly mechanical and measured weight and size not electrical conductivity. The only magnet properties they measured was to use a magnet to make sure they weren't being fed slugs. They actually had problems with the vending machines back then because if they were adjusted loosely enough to accept both silver or clad they would also accept a lot of other things as well. If the setting were stricter that could accept silver or clad but not both. Fortunately the silver didn't stay in circulation long and the machines could just be set for clad. (This is why most machine today will not accept a silver coin.)
As for why silver was retained in the half dollar, this was a bone tossed to the Sentators of the silver producing states in order to get their votes to approve the clad composition. The mint/government wanted to remove the silver from the coinage completely but the Senators and Representatives of the Western silver producing states balked because they wanted to keep a captive market for their states production. So the half dollar was a compomise, if you will vote for coppernickel clad for the dime and quarter, we will retain some silver in the largest coin, and we will produce 45 million new silver dollars. They got the votes and the bill passed. Then when it became clear that the silver dollars, which were already worth more than face value would never circulate but would all be snatched up by speculators, President Johnson order the dollar coinage cancelled.
I suppose a solid 40% silver coin could have been produced, but it would not have been as good in appearance as the clad coins were with their 80% silver outer layers, and billon alloys of under 500 fine silver tend to discolor rapidly. (Often they would be pickled to dissolve the surface copper and give them the appearance of a higher fineness alloy.
As for why silver was retained in the half dollar, this was a bone tossed to the Sentators of the silver producing states in order to get their votes to approve the clad composition. The mint/government wanted to remove the silver from the coinage completely but the Senators and Representatives of the Western silver producing states balked because they wanted to keep a captive market for their states production. So the half dollar was a compomise, if you will vote for coppernickel clad for the dime and quarter, we will retain some silver in the largest coin, and we will produce 45 million new silver dollars. They got the votes and the bill passed. Then when it became clear that the silver dollars, which were already worth more than face value would never circulate but would all be snatched up by speculators, President Johnson order the dollar coinage cancelled.
I suppose a solid 40% silver coin could have been produced, but it would not have been as good in appearance as the clad coins were with their 80% silver outer layers, and billon alloys of under 500 fine silver tend to discolor rapidly. (Often they would be pickled to dissolve the surface copper and give them the appearance of a higher fineness alloy.
