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 Replies: 6 / Views: 1,221 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
709 Posts |
The British West Africa 1/10th of a penny was minted in 1907 and 1908 from aluminium. From 1908 onwards it was cupro-nickel. How can I tell the difference between these metals just by looking at photos on ebay and such-like? Clearly if the coin is 1907 it is aluminium, and 1909+ will be cupro-nickel. But if the coin is dated 1908 how do I tell from photos alone? I an aiming to collect a type-set of every British colonial coin ever minted. It is still a long way off, but hopefully I will live a few years yet to get close or even achieve my aim. I already have the 1908 cu-ni, and now want the aluminium. Thanks in advance.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
589 Posts |
The only thing I can possibly think of is the fact that Cu-Ni can somewhat tone, whereas Al doesn't. Aluminum coins that have lost their luster by wear do look duller and greyer than Cu-Ni, but then again, I don't have many Al coins, so this last sentence may or may not always be true. On ebay, you might want to ask that the coin be weighed...sellers might not have a scale, but it's the only fool-proof way to verify it. |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I think Groszy is right.
I have both the cu ni and the aluminium of the 1908 date, in about MS63. The aluminium of this date and condition is scarcer. Both came out of the same dealer's junk box at the same time, about 30 years ago. I still clearly remember the incident. The twins have never left each other's company.
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Moderator
 Australia
16842 Posts |
As a general rule, aluminium will tone/circulate to a pale pinkish-white. Cupronickel tones/circulates to a duller orange-grey colour. Whether this is helpful or not when looking at web pictures is dubious, given the wacky colour imbalances you can easily find out there.
I find it odd that, if the designs are the same, Krause has given them completely separate numbers (KM 1 and KM 3) rather than the alphabetic subcategory they usually use to denote a change in metal content (like KM 1 and KM 1a). Perhaps the designs are not identical, or maybe the sizes are different. Size, of course, wouldn't help much with online pictures either.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9419 Posts |
If Sel has both coins he might be able verify this, but with just a quick look at both coins on the net, it appears the crown points between denticles on the copper-nickel and points straight to a denticle on the aluminium. Steve  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
triggersmob is correct.
I have inspected my two coins with a 15x - 3 element cloth examination lens.
The top of the crown on the cu ni 1/10 penny DOES indeed point between denticles, and the top of the crown on the aluminium example points to a denticle.
Different die varieties must have been used, at least that is the case with my two examples.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
9419 Posts |
Thanks for verifying that, Sel. Steve |
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Replies: 6 / Views: 1,221 |
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Posted 12/18/2014 02:07 am
