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 Replies: 17 / Views: 2,638 |
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New Member
United States
18 Posts |
I bought a case of half dollars. Many of them weigh between 11.1 and 11.2 grams and one weighs 10.1 grams. Any ideas as to why this is?
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Valued Member
United States
218 Posts |
are they in a worn state? If so, keep in mind most half dollars weigh between 12.5 and 11.5 grams in mint state. It is very possible, in a well worn coin, that a gram or two could have been worn away. Then when you figure that most scales have an error margin and you combine that with a well worn coin... I could see how you could easily get into the 10g range depending on the specific half dollar we are talking about.
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New Member
 United States
18 Posts |
On the 10.1 gram coin, it is a 1998 P in excellent condition
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Valued Member
United States
218 Posts |
You are talking about a 1.2 g difference. What kind of scale are you using? Also this maybe an odd question but do you live in Denver or in a similar high altitude location?
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New Member
United States
18 Posts |
I am using a Palmscale 7.0 which is calibrated to known weights and coin weights. I live in WA State
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Valued Member
United States
218 Posts |
IDK... I am at loss. Maybe someone else would know. I cannot imagine why anyone would counterfeit a 1998P Kennedy half dollar (I assume that is what it is)... My only * guess * is perhaps something went wrong in the mint process when they were pouring the metal? Can you post a picture? |
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New Member
United States
18 Posts |
There is nothing visually significant about the coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2651 Posts |
A CuNi weight should be 11.3 if wiki isn't lying. Pics would probably be the single most valuable thing you could do to get a better answer. Without a pic and more detail it will be hard to make a decent assessment.
Edited by Jayman931
01/26/2014 03:48 am
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New Member
United States
18 Posts |
I appreciate the responses. I don't have a camera that will give me clear enough pictures to post.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1234 Posts |
Again I'll float my magnifying glass idea, it's crude but works. You said "calibrated to known weights and coin weights" A nickel is 5G, two is 10G. So if your scale is square my next question is about the planchet. I had seen a post a few days ago about a thin planchet, a half minted on quarter stock. I just calibrated my scale with a few nickels, and all my halves are 11.1-11.3g, I think my altitude is in the area of 3,000, I'd have to study up on atmospheric pressure but I don't think it would affect a single coin and the 11.1's are within tolerances of being slightly worn, the reeding can be badly degraded but not really seem to be overly worn.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2651 Posts |
If I had to make a "informed" decision from the info provided I would say it had suffered from environmental damage.
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New Member
United States
18 Posts |
I have been doing some further inspection and it does appear to be the same width as a quarter.
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Valued Member
United States
218 Posts |
@ASLAN TVorlon where I was going to go with atmospheric pressure was if his scale was very sensitive and digital then absolutely pressure could cause the reading to be off as air presses down. To see this effect get a very sensitive digital scale and blow on it you can get the reading to measure the force of your air. However, when he said it was calibrated I decided to abandon that line of thinking...
I do not see how a round coin on a square scale would effect anything mass is mass is mass and weight which is the effect of gravity from the Earth is more or less constant no matter where you are on this planet. So 11g of copper in a round will be 11g in a square.
I agree that it sounds like some kind of damage, but he assures us, the coin is in "excellent condition". As far as I can tell it can only be one of three things or a little of each adding up to the missing weight:
1)There was some kind of error during manufacture
2)The scale is not as calibrated as he thinks
3)The coin is more worn then he realizes
Edited by jolson
01/26/2014 05:44 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2737 Posts |
Sounds like it was struck on a planchet punched out of rolled-thin clad stock.
Error coin writer and researcher.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
I just calibrated my scale with a few nickels, and all my halves are 11.1-11.3g, A scale "calibrated" using "a few nickels", is not calibrated. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3640 Posts |
Use a 200 gram cal. weight to calibrate your scale.
Even a 100 gram weight will do. Most dealers or jewelers
will have them if you do not want to buy one.
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Replies: 17 / Views: 2,638 |
Posted 01/26/2014 02:20 am
