1944 Quarter Dollar. Bad Alloy Mix?

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Author	Replies: 14 / Views: 1,322
Jdcag5775 Valued Member United States 52 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 10:46 am Found this 1944 Quarter, recently, and pretty well stumped as to what happened. No signs of cutting, impact damage, brute force, etc. Just a clean break. What would have cased this? Never seen this, before. My running theory is a bad alloy mix caused weakness in the planchet. PMD caused by mint error? Report this Post to the Staff

JimmyD Bedrock of the Community Canada 21630 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 11:00 am The 1944 quarter was silver. Looks like it is some sort of PMD. Can't see how this could happen during the striking of the coin. The obverse would show a weak area where the silver is missing on the reverse. Report this Post to the Staff
Jdcag5775 Valued Member United States 52 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 11:14 am I already know it's PMD. I don't think it would have made it out of the mint like this. The question is would a bad alloy mix been the cause of this? Is it PMD caused by an error in the mint? Report this Post to the Staff
Jdcag5775 Valued Member United States 52 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 11:18 am If you try to break off a piece like this, you would bend the coin. You would have to use pliers and a vice, no markings. If you used a chisel or a punch there would be warping from the impact. Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 97225 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 12:13 pm The silver quarters of this year was 90% silver 10% copper, i guess it is possible of a bad mix of the silver/copper mixture. The planchet was intact when it was struck into a quarter - seeing how well the design elements are struck right up to the edge of the faults. I cannot see any traces of the device in the 'hole' on the reverse at all, telling me it was removed/fell off after it left the mint. Things that could have cause this: 1. a bad mix of the alloy, or 2. an acid was used to etch the metal Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
Cujohn Pillar of the Community United States 7174 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 6:09 pm I'm going to say that someone scarfed off the missing piece with very fine torch. It is a silver coin, so no bubbling like you see on a clad coin when they are heated. Definitely post mint damage. Edited by Cujohn 04/09/2023 6:15 pm Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 97225 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 6:21 pm when you said (typed) "scarfed" My first thought was that someone ate a part of it. Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
ijn1944 Bedrock of the Community United States 19201 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 6:35 pm Makes a cool conversation piece. Report this Post to the Staff
Coinfrog Bedrock of the Community United States 94367 Posts	Posted 04/09/2023 6:52 pm An odd thing for sure. Report this Post to the Staff
DOCC Pillar of the Community United States 1502 Posts	Posted 04/10/2023 01:08 am Someone was playing with liquid nitrogen Report this Post to the Staff
kurdlezuit Pillar of the Community United States 1034 Posts	Posted 04/10/2023 01:17 am I was going to say liquid nitrogen as well. Report this Post to the Staff
merclover Bedrock of the Community United States 10635 Posts	Posted 04/10/2023 05:48 am Not a bad alloy mix, just post mint damage. This is not a mint caused issue. Report this Post to the Staff
sel_69l Bedrock of the Community Australia 21788 Posts	Posted 04/10/2023 06:09 am After examining the OP's pics, I am more inclined to think that the alloy (90% Ag 10% Cu), has some included impurities which has resulted in eventual planchet failure in circulation. Normally a coin such as this should bend under extreme mechanical stress (plastic failure), but in this case, the failure is a fracture (brittle failure). Hence my reasoning for the inclusion of solid particle inclusions, most probably in very tiny multiple granular form. Report this Post to the Staff
coop Bedrock of the Community United States 62064 Posts	Posted 04/10/2023 4:40 pm Mother in law checking for gold again? Report this Post to the Staff
nickelsearcher Moderator United States 15475 Posts	Posted 04/11/2023 05:30 am Unusual coin indeed. We'll never know the exact mechanism that caused this, so just enjoy as an interesting PMD curiosity. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 14 / Views: 1,322

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