ENDED Just For Fun: Is it a Nickel?

[MDC]

I found a round, crusty target last night in a park that rang in at a steady E-Trac 12-08, yet when I pulled it out of the four inch deep hole I was surprised to see it is the same size as a nickel. Later I compared the find and found that the circumference is indeed the same as a nickel (not including minute variations due to encrustation). I weighed the find along with both a dug nickel and one from pocket change and there is a significant difference. It is rare for me to find a nickel so badly crusted unless I dig it up at or near a beach. So, the round object is now being tumbled and I am anxiously waiting to see if it can be identified...

Are there any other guesses?

[Lightningjack]

I'd have to guess some sort of token, like you unless it floods or was near a drainage area in the park where you found it I've also never seen a nickle come out of the dirt looking like that..

[Jamflicker]

Could a war nickel get that badly corroded? Let us know the results of your tumble, now I am curious.

[MadTownScoop]

Electrical outlet box knock out plug??? Small, Silver, metal and about the size of a nickel. ?

[SkiWhiz]

It looks like one of the coins that we had when I lived on Mars. We called that coin a mickel.

[coindog1]

i pulled a coin out that looked like that...rang up in the penny range..turned out to be a french liard..

[MDC]

I have removed said object from the tumbler and it is now obvious what it is. Shall I wait a few hours or more to post an update? Remember, this was just for fun. ::glances at sub-forum thread count:: -Mike

[Lightningjack]

Originally Posted by MDC

I have removed said object from the tumbler and it is now obvious what it is. Shall I wait a few hours or more to post an update? Remember, this was just for fun. ::glances at sub-forum thread count:: -Mike

Naa just post the token...

[MDC]

She's a nickel! And she's lost a bit more weight, too. I still can't visually determine whether it is a war nickel, but I did order an acid test kit yesterday.

Thanks for viewing and guessing for fun.

[OZ_IL]

War nickel will have a big mint mark above Monticello.

Reminds me of when I found a corroded nickel and was hoping for some Buffalo or V type. Nope, a 198x. How it got corroded so quickly I have no idea.

[ISU Boomer]

Wow, I've never seen a nickle that corroded.

[gameoftag]

Woah! That is the worst nickel I have seen. I'm going to guess it's not a war nickel because the silver in that nickel wouldn't corrode like that, but then again, I've never seen a regular nickel corrode like that either, so can't wait to hear the results.

[WildDigger]

That thing looks worse then a beat up buff. Holy cow!!

[GStout76]

I would say it is a War nickel with the manganese leached out. From your pictures it looks like it has a gap around the edge. I have found badly corroded war nickels that looked almost the same but black. I think it has to do with the fertilizers or chemicals used on the soil.

I have pictures at home of the nickel, I can post later if you want to see one.

Greg

[MyrtleBeachGuy]

Can you clean it up more than that or is that pretty much it ?

[Topdecker]

I once got in a spot where an old church had stood and a farmer was farming as close as he could get to the land. On the edge where farm and church joined, I found 5 heavily encrusted - and I mean in THICK, uneven, porous green material - coins, all of which I presumed were pennies.

I soaked them in olive oil for over a month. Nada. I applied some witches brew of house hold cleaners and soaked one - nope. I finally resorted electrolysis for the first time and kept tweaking chemical bathes and time in the electrolysis tank - I pretty much destroyed the first 3 coins, all of which looked to be wheaties, but I was reducing the soak time in the witches brew as I went.

Well, coin #4 was a bit more fortunate. I think that it faired better because it probably already had it's own heavy patina prior to modern farming. It was an 1877 Indian Head. Date is readily visible and it is clearly an IH - that's gone through quite a lot.



And no, I don't really regret having cleaned it. It was totally worthless in the condition it started in - just a lumpy unidentified slug. I am not a coin guy and had it for several years before realizing that I'd gotten lucky. I recover several bombed out coins a year - I am not paying a specialist to muck with them since 99% of the time it would be a money losing proposition.

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