Is this Zinc coated?

[pepperj]

1956D
Silver coloured
Is it one of those school or plating company experiments?
Just how popular are these pennies as I dug this one many years back and it really was in great shape it seems.

 

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[SD51]

Very cool coin pepperj! I bet someone had access to a plating process like you said.

 

[Limitool]

Mercury coated...?

 

[robertk]

Mercury coated...?

Seems doubtful. Mercury is liquid at room temperature.

 

[Limitool]

Mercury coated...?

Seems doubtful. Mercury is liquid at room temperature.

I believe I have one.


What happens when you put mercury on copper?


The copper surface, when wetted by the liquid mercury, reacts at ambient temperature to form a hard alloy of mercury co-crystallized with copper.

 

[robertk]

The copper surface, when wetted by the liquid mercury, reacts at ambient temperature to form a hard alloy of mercury co-crystallized with copper.

Interesting. I didn't know it would do that.

 

[Limitool]

Interesting. I didn't know it would do that.

Well I didn't either till I found a real shiny penny once. I inquired around and was told it was a mercury coated penny by a couple of folks. I tried to find mine but it's "buried" with other coins in office somewhere.

It looks just like the one posted.

 

[Mine Shaft]

I think copper can be Anodized also. Anodizing creates a greenish finish.

 

[tamrock]

I believe I have one.


What happens when you put mercury on copper?


The copper surface, when wetted by the liquid mercury, reacts at ambient temperature to form a hard alloy of mercury co-crystallized with copper.

I remember in like 4th grade science class we got to basically play around with little bottles of mercury. We'd push the little liquid blobs together and watch them absorb each other and we'd see how to turn a copper penny into a shiny silver penny.

 

[l.cutler]

Any attraction to a magnet? If so, probably nickel plated.

 

[pepperj]

Any attraction to a magnet? If so, probably nickel plated.

I was reading the 1943 steel nickel thread. Sucked all mine up with a magnet.
This one remained in the tray.