Missing Clad Layer? 2000 Virginia Quarter

It it were missing cladding, it would be one color of red. Not a differing color of red/brown:

Also the devices would be weaken because of the lack of thickness:




No rough surfaces that a coated coin will have. Red.

Years of collecting, editing hundreds of thousands of images, a few posts on several sites, a photographer for various sites for images, using images from various sites and sources. How about you?

You go coop
John1

Have a very close look at the milled edge under high magnification; the clad layer, if there is one, may? reveal itself.

Clad coins that have been buried for a long time also develop a coppery hue.

Because this coin is only worth face value if normal, I personally would take the risk** and vigorously rub the edge on a piece of coarse cloth to see if a clad layer can be revealed. I don't recommend that others do this, because it is a form of minor, but deliberate damage.
Nevertheless, the truth that it is a clad coin, or a wholly copper coin, will be revealed.


**With ancient coins, there are always risks when it comes to cleaning them after recovery from burial, even to the extent of the total loss of the coin in the worst cases. There is no way of avoiding at least some risk.

On this coin, I would take full images of it and carry it in your pocket for a time and watch the silver/gray color come back. But you coin looks like an antique look. So just let the color come back a little and enjoy the color change. But don't let it all turn, just enough to enhance the look a bit more:




Just pick the time to stop carrying it and add it to your collection. Some day the right buyer will come around for your coin that would appreciate the antique look.