1944 P 5c Unusual Color - Help With Question About XRF Analysis

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

Author	Replies: 4 / Views: 959
Vindex Valued Member United States 117 Posts	Posted 03/30/2020 09:05 am I have this War Nickel which does not have the look of a 39% silver/56% copper/9% manganese nickel. The weight is within the standard variance of + or - .13 grams with a weight of 4.87 grams. All of the other War Nickels bought from this estate were toned black. I have several questions: Does anyone have experience with XRF analysis? There is one site I found: dirtyoldcoins.com/services who offer xrf analysis. Does anyone have any experience with them? Also do any of the TPG's offer XRF analysis as part of there services. Also initially I thought the brass color was some kind of paint. I gave the coins an overnight in acetone. Nothing changed after soaking in acetone. Report this Post to the Staff

Coinfrog Bedrock of the Community United States 94367 Posts	Posted 03/30/2020 09:41 am Circulated War Nickels come in all kinds of unusual shades because of their peculiar alloy characteristics. Or perhaps this one was plated at one point and the plating is now wearing off. Report this Post to the Staff
ijn1944 Bedrock of the Community United States 19159 Posts	Posted 03/30/2020 10:06 am I've come across a wide range of war nickels--many dull grey, some borderline black, some lustrous pewter, and some toned--from slight rainbow to light gold/amber. Environmental conditions may have been in play with this coin. Can't rule out old plating which is wearing off. I have no experience with XRF analysis. Would be interesting to pursue; however, the cost may be somewhat prohibitive. All depends on the value that comes with better knowing what's going on with the coin. Report this Post to the Staff
Vindex Valued Member United States 117 Posts	Posted 03/30/2020 10:31 am I don't have a lot of experience with the War Nickels because I don't like coins that are generally all toned black. They look dirty to me. Eye appeal matters and cleaning off toned coins is not an acceptable practise. Therefore my experience is very limited. Plating is a possibility. Although looking at the coin under my scope did not lend any clue to plating. XRF came up in a search. The analysis uses a flourescent xray technology to determine an alloys element composition. It is a non-destructive test. With the US Mint having 40 countries that they minted coins for over the years, off metal planchet errors are well documented. Perhaps I will get more insight posting my question on the ancient coin forum. Report this Post to the Staff
nick10 Pillar of the Community United States 3207 Posts	Posted 03/30/2020 6:06 pm I have a few war nicks that color, the special alloy toned in unfamiliar ways. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 4 / Views: 959

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

All Forums Category: US Coins and Currency Forums Forum: US Modern Variety and Error Coins

Silver Gold Bull US is the United States leading bullion dealer. We deliver gold coins, gold bars, silver coins, silver bars and precious metals to your door. Order today!

The First Dollar, your premier source for bullion and rare coins. See our bullion list on the site and the coin inventory on ebay.

View Last 100 New Topics

View Last 100 Active Topics

Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum

It took 0.2 seconds to rattle this change.