Condition of coins out of the ground?

[klava]

I have noticed alot of people post pics of Indian Head Cents and notice that most all look really good. I have pulled out newer zinc pennies that looked terrible. Is this due to the high percentage of copper in the Indians?

Thanks

-K

 

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[djabend]

Its due to a crappy and cheap coin design.
The thin copper cladding is easily compromised and once that happens,
moisture gets in and corrodes the weak zinc metal inside.
The result A mess:

HH,
Donny

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

At the local park the nitrates in the grass fertilizer eat the post '82 cents away in a few seasons. They look like the images above. In other sites where the grass is just cut and ignored I find them darkened but not dissolved. Blackens the nickels, too.

And the new dollar coins look worse than a 50's cent with some exposure. Pity.

Biodegradable coinage.