1941 Aluminum Mercury Dime

[mmmikey64]

Searching some long forgotton Wheat penny rolls, I found an aluminum Mercury dime; Does any body know the history of such a coin? I am an avid collector and know my coins well. I found a mercury 1941 in aluminum!!!!

 

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[dgrs2]

Easy test. Place the edge of the coin on a ice cube. If it transmits the cold to your finger tips in about two seconds or less, it's silver. If it takes longer it's something else.


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[mmmikey64]

i tried the test; results are between 7-10 seconds to feel a chill on the fingertips. Thanks, what a smart test to perform. What do you think this mercury would be made of? Antimony maybe? there is a clang and no ring when dropped on surface and the ice test is 7-10 seconds; any ideas?

 

[dgrs2]

No idea. Def not silver if it took that long.


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[Plumbata]

I know the Chinese make fake 90% silver 1916 D dimes and base-metal "silver" dollars, but find it hard to believe anyone would bother with base-metal common date dimes. Back in 1940-41, a Troy ounce of silver was only worth around 35-40 cents, so making one out of an alloy with similar density, appearance, and wear characteristics wouldn't be much more lucrative than making fakes out of standard 90% silver.

At 35 cents per troy ounce (31.1g), and with a silver content of 2.25g per dime, the silver value was only around 2.5 cents back then. And Antimony would have been a bit too soft for coins I believe, one might even be able to bend an antimony coin in their fingers without too much difficulty (not sure though). All that aside, it looks pretty legit to me.

 

[galenrog]

The "ring test" is simply an indicator. Nothing definitive when a coin does not "pass". Same for the "ice cube" test. I might look a little closer if a coin did not pass either test. An assay (very destructive) or a proper acid test (very degrading for any coin) will tell of a certainty if the coin contains silver. Both tests are easily searchable in the Internet.

 

[bigfoot1]

in my opinion an acid test kit(the complete one)is as important to a treasure hunter as shoes are.cheap on amazon too.get the one with the diamond tester,it caught a 1/4c stone in a 925 ring I would have been sure was cz...just a little too lively

 

[SkaBa]

Just curious, have you run a metal detector over it yet? What did it ring at?

 

[xr7ator]

JULY FOOLS!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Donnie B from VA]

I respectfully think you are grasping at straws to find a rare coin. Keep searching and one day you will find a key date but there is no way this coin is aluminum.

 

[ivan salis]

due to the weight difference between the two metals ..for a aluminum coin to weight as much as a silver one it would need to be about twice as big ..so there is no way for a aluminum coin and a silver coin of the same size to weight the same ( its physically impossible--as the metals are of vastly different weight * ) what it is is that some one cleaned the silver dime with a harsh chemical that has made the silver appear to be aluminum

now a mixture of metals say -- a pewter type blend with aluminum -- or lead and aluminum could get the proper weight maybe if a person were attempting to counterfeit coins or make "replacement coins"..like the zinc steel cents or the silver war nickles

 

[dgrs2]

Not silver. Kill the thread please.

 

[ivan salis]

uh beg to differ the 1972 aluminum cent was made by the mint as a trail --some got out by being given to senators to look at

 

[bigfoot1]

Not silver. Kill the thread please.

or test it by actual definitive means,acid test.the heat/cold transfer or percieved sound when dropped are subjective for too many reasons to list.

my money is on it being silver simply because there is no reason whatsoever for it to not be silver.claim was it weighed the same.lastely a request to kill a thread seems a bit odd unless coming from op

my 10 cents

 

[Carolina Tom]

or test it by actual definitive means,acid test.the heat/cold transfer or percieved sound when dropped are subjective for too many reasons to list.

my money is on it being silver simply because there is no reason whatsoever for it to not be silver.claim was it weighed the same.lastely a request to kill a thread seems a bit odd unless coming from op

my 10 cents

What you talking about Willis? It is completely normal to request that other's threads be killed. I do it all of the time!

 

[NEPADIGGER7]

It looks to me exactly like a mercury dime...that's silver. I have to agree with most other posters it is truly Impossible to be the same size and aluminum . There may be a slight imperfection in the coin like a very small ding or small bens to we're to doesn't ring when it's dropped. Also yes please acid test it if you want but it's clearly just a merc! Somebody wanted to stir some up!

 

[coinman123]

It look just like a regular cleaned Merc to me.

 

[fphinney]

ALUMINUM DIME?

I truly believe that there might be such a thing as an aluminum dime. I found what appeared to be an aluminum dime back around 1950. I kept dropping it on various substances to convince that it did not SOUND like a regular dime. Finally, in desperation I took it to my local bank and asked them what they thought of it. They said "Thanks for bringing this in. We always appreciate it when someone brings in what might be counterfeit money." I'm standing there - blinking my eyes. I tried to explain that I didn't want to have it confiscated. I just wanted an opinion. END OF STORY?

FRANK

 

[Tony in SC]

An aluminum coin stamped in 1941 would be worn slick by now!!

 

[BillA]

a normal merc coated with mercury, after time it is no longer slick and shiney - but rather frosted
used to do it

 

[A2coins]

One of life tricks just be glad it wasnt a fake gold coin lol