What does this to a coin?

[wheres_wheatie]

These are all modern memorial cents. I can't get a date off any of them. What caused this damage? Are they zinc, does zinc do this in the ground? Or is it something in the soil? I dug all 4 in the same location but different holes.

 

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[wheres_wheatie]

Pic

 

[worldtalker]

Pic

STINKIN LINCOLNS.............

 

[duggap]

Those look like they were exposed to some type of acid.

 

[JerseyDigger19]

Zincolns in heavily mineralized ground tend to deteriorate really fast. I've found dozens like this in heavily mineralized North Jersey dirt. The sad thing is that you can't even spend them anymore...

 

[winslow]

This happens to most all zinc pennies over time. If left in the ground long enough they crumble into nothing.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

The soils around me are really alkaline and mine look like that also.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

Nitrates and phosphates in the soil (natural and added fertilizer) eat the zinc out of modern clad garbage cents faster than a seven year old eats an oatmeal raisin cookie.

There's one town park near me that they absolutely dissolve; while other locations they are much less damaged. That's why I figured it had to do with added fertilizer.

 

[CoinandRelicMan]

Yep typical stinking "Zinc-o-Lins" !! I always throw some away after the hunt.

 

[lockster99]

Tons of them down my way also. Sometimes in just a few years.

 

[Mackaydon]

I have a memorial garden in my side yard for coins like that.
Don.......

 

[Loco-Digger]

I save mine and plan on filling baby food jars with them and a note to the future dirt fisherman who eventually find these decaying cache's. It may give them something to post about in a few years.

 

[wheres_wheatie]

Oh well guess it's a mystery... Jk thanks everyone for the info. I did find wheats at that location in fair shape so that explains it.

 

[david680]

Yup. Sometimes I only find half the coin. I've found them dated from the previous year that already had a hole eaten through them.

 

[PhillyMike68]

Like everything else, they don't make them like they used to..I have a whole box of them, not sure what to do with them.

 

[david680]

Like everything else, they don't make them like they used to..I have a whole box of them, not sure what to do with them.

Tumble them, put the crappy ones in the middle of a roll, and spend them someplace out of town.

 

[Tony in SC]

Zinc is the #1 sacrificial metal. That is what it is and that is what it is used for in the marine and industry world. Why would anybody want to use zinc for a coin. Tony

 

[fireaero1]

I have found a lot like the one's in the picture. Wheaties seem to be in better shape in the same ground. tom in pa

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

They will do that to a small extent even in woodchips.

 

[PhillyMike68]

Tumble them, put the crappy ones in the middle of a roll, and spend them someplace out of town.

LOL