Aluminum Dimes?

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Has anyone ever heard of aluminum dimes minted during ww2? I was recently talking to a friend about metal detecting (he has no interest In treasure hunting or collecting) and then coins and he told me a story how his grandfather got 3 rolls of aluminum dimes from the bank during ww2 and then the next day they wanted them back because they were recalled, but he kept them. He said the one roll was opened and some of the coins were a bit crushed so you could tell they were aluminum. The other 2 rolls are unopened.

I've been looking and the only aluminum us coin was the 1974-d penny that was recalled. I can't find any mention of dimes.

Is this possible or were they most likely regular dimes that maybe looked funny and got crushed? Was there ever an aluminum dime minted?

 

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[jeff of pa]

although I would guess he is remembering wrong.
Thinking about steel Cents , Thinking aluminum , looking more like dimes by color,
& just generally mistaken. however The U.S. Mints struck allot of coins for foreign countries during World War 2 , and also struck coins for U.S. territories overseas. There are allot of U.S. coin errors that were struck on planchets that were intended for other countries and the Philippines.

Here is a 1943 U.s. cent on brass Cuban Centavo coin error



here is a walker struck on a steel cent Planchette



and here is a 1945-S silver cent, thanks to it being stuck on a
72% silver East indies 1/10 Gulden.





so I can't rule out the mint accidentally minting a few rolls worth of dimes
before realizing

"that Aluminum looked silver "


http://www.coinworld.com/articles/printarticle/wartime-cents-among-heritage-sale-highlights

 

[l.cutler]

The composition of cents and nickels was changed during WWII because the copper and nickel was needed for war materials. Aluminum was also one of the metals in short supply, it was needed for airplane manufacture in particular. There would be no reason to switch from silver, which was in adequate supply to aluminum which was needed elsewhere. So no, they never made aluminum dimes. Most likely as Jeff states, he was thinking of the steel cents. Ask him if you can see the coins, and let us know what you find.

 

[Doubter in MD]

The composition of cents and nickels was changed during WWII because the copper and nickel was needed for war materials. Aluminum was also one of the metals in short supply, it was needed for airplane manufacture in particular. There would be no reason to switch from silver, which was in adequate supply to aluminum which was needed elsewhere. So no, they never made aluminum dimes. Most likely as Jeff states, he was thinking of the steel cents. Ask him if you can see the coins, and let us know what you find.

I was thinking the same thing. Using aluminum makes no sense.

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Thanks for the info, I'll let you guys know what I find. This is a guy not known for sensationalism and holds a masters degree in English. That's the old reason I ask. I believe he said some were bent and stuck together.

If I can borrow a sample I'll get some pics.

If they are some kind of error/test made of aluminum they'd be talking big bucks right?

 

[jeff of pa]

If they are some kind of error/test made of aluminum they'd be talking big bucks right?

with confirmation, I would think so

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

Or possibly confiscated as well correct?

 

[jeff of pa]

Or possibly confiscated as well correct?

Because of Metal Value today, I'd say they would not confiscate. but you never know.
I think they have reserved confiscation to those Gold $20's

at least unless sent to the mint, proven Counterfeit, or worth a few million each

 

[hunting deer]

I found one as soon as I find where I put it I'll post it. Seriously.

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

They are most likely steel cents, I see they did cause confusion of people thinking they were dimes, and possible still are causing confusion 70 years later. Also with the "sweating" I can assume this would cause them to stick together.

 

[jeff of pa]

They are most likely steel cents, I see they did cause confusion of people thinking they were dimes, and possible still are causing confusion 70 years later. Also with the "sweating" I can assume this would cause them to stick together.

And rust a bit

 

[HenryWaltonJonesJr]

The only thing unaccounted for is the crushed description. If authenticated as aluminum I'll let him know he probably can just write and never have to worry about money again.

Thanks again all for the info!

 

[jeff of pa]

I would think in order to Crush (bend) though they would have to be very thin like
Uncle Sam play Dimes

 

[unclemac]

I was thinking the same thing. Using aluminum makes no sense.

which is odd as the Japanese coins from ww2 were in fact aluminum.

 

[Doubter in MD]

which is odd as the Japanese coins from ww2 were in fact aluminum.

Japan has very limited natural resources. They import most of their energy supply and most of their metals. Perhaps they had a surplus of aluminum or it was cheaper for them to use aluminum vs. silver or or other metals. I am not sure what relevance Japanese coin minting practices during WWII has in the current discussion. We were discussing what the US was doing during the war. As was pointed out in the quote I commented on, silver (in the US) was in adequate supply, which is why war nickels were silver. Copper, nickel, and presumably aluminum were required for the war effort so it seems unlikely that the US government would have made dimes out of a metal that they needed for the war effort.

Just my .10 cents.

 

[unclemac]

....and I thought we were talking about aluminum coinage...go figure...

 

[billn1956]

Japan has very limited natural resources. They import most of their energy supply and most of their metals. Perhaps they had a surplus of aluminum or it was cheaper for them to use aluminum vs. silver or or other metals. I am not sure what relevance Japanese coin minting practices during WWII has in the current discussion. We were discussing what the US was doing during the war. As was pointed out in the quote I commented on, silver (in the US) was in adequate supply, which is why war nickels were silver. Copper, nickel, and presumably aluminum were required for the war effort so it seems unlikely that the US government would have made dimes out of a metal that they needed for the war effort. Just my .10 cents.

and since japan was one of the countrys we were fighing and they also made planes they would have needed the same metals for the same reasons.

 

[Doubter in MD]

....and I thought we were talking about aluminum coinage...go figure...

I thought we were talking about aluminum dimes. Hey! Maybe the Japanese minted the three rolls of dimes in an attempt to destroy our economy!

Personally I hope there are aluminum dimes but I seriously doubt it for the reasons stated previously. As was mentioned previously we had enough silver and had no need to change the metal used to make them.