A Jacked Up War Nickel Is Making My Head Hurt

[BigWaveDave]

My hunt today was a good...ooh! My first SBA, a 45 record insert, 11 wheats, And a couple of silvers...or so I thought.

The 1944 P war nickel has me scratching my head.

When I found it, it was tarnished pretty black, as they typically are pulled deep from the turf...but when I cleaned it up with soap and water, she shined up pretty clean...OK...?

When I unintentionally tossed it on the granite countertop, it didn't sound anything like I expected, literally a thud....OK....?

So I grabbed the other 8 war nickels I've found, and compared them....
The 8 had the light plink sound of I guess copper and silver alloy, but the new one, still, thud.

The weight of my 8 average 4.79 grams, accounting for wear, should be 5 grams. The new one, 4.5 grams, but not nearly the wear as others.

The silver test kit revealed a black stain on the cotton, not red, indicative of silver...

Now guy, this is the kicker...I have NEVER found a nickel that rang up as a 75 on the At Pro...
All the other ones, a solid 55, this one, when I found it, thought I was pulling a wheat. Sure enough, scanned it again, compared to the others, still 75.... WTF?



Compared to the others...


None of the pieces respond to a magnet, nor should they...

The Henning Counterfeit was my first inclination, but the P mint mark is on the reverse, telling me it's not a Henning...but what is it?

The 75 on the detector has me baffled.

So, tell me what you think, oh, pics of other finds, for your enjoyment...


Thanks for looking!

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

A Handbook of Civil War Bullets and Cartridges - Grab it through Amazon!

[Msbeepbeep]

Possibly silver over copper core, or some other type core?

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Family Maps of Hinds County, Mississippi, Deluxe Edition - Grab it through Amazon!

[david680]

Possibly silver over copper core, or some other type core?

Unknown at this time. However, a war nickel is 35% silver, 56% copper, 9% manganese.

 

[Back-of-the-boat]

Dang now I'm going to check mine.

 

[Isaac]

I had war nickels read up in the penny range before, I BELIEVE it depends on how the other metals (manganese and copper I think?) besides the silver in the nickel deteriorate.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Well, my neice's recital was excruciating, happy to be home to retest the nickel, glad I did.
There was a slight orange tinge to the cotton ball after I tested the nickel, so there is a measurable amount of silver... The other nickels, more of a black color, so leads me to believe there is more silver in this mystery piece. The dull thud when dropped is still a curious point, need to get this checked out. Need to find an XRF machine here in town, thanks for the advice ecmjamsit....and Isaac, you might also be onto something, as the nickel does have some flaking, along Jefferson's shoulder...

 

[kcm]

You know, this is just a thought - but at one time, the coins were minted on blanks consisting of 90% silver. Right? Then at some point they switched over to 40%. So, what happens if some blanks got misplaced or forgotten along the way somewhere? What happens if, during wartime when metals are more scarce, these old blanks are found and used to make coins? Whether it was done on purpose or by accident, I think it's most likely due to some such scenario.

Hopefully Dave's re-test can help to verify this hypothesis.

 

[shoague]

This girl hasnt a clue. But otherwise, good hunt

 

[david680]

Well, my neice's recital was excruciating, happy to be home to retest the nickel, glad I did.
There was a slight orange tinge to the cotton ball after I tested the nickel, so there is a measurable amount of silver... The other nickels, more of a black color, so leads me to believe there is more silver in this mystery piece. The dull thud when dropped is still a curious point, need to get this checked out. Need to find an XRF machine here in town, thanks for the advice ecmjamsit....and Isaac, you might also be onto something, as the nickel does have some flaking, along Jefferson's shoulder...
View attachment 1329891View attachment 1329892

Hard to tell, but the flaking looks to be a lamination error.

 

[david680]

You know, this is just a thought - but at one time, the coins were minted on blanks consisting of 90% silver. Right? Then at some point they switched over to 40%. So, what happens if some blanks got misplaced or forgotten along the way somewhere? What happens if, during wartime when metals are more scarce, these old blanks are found and used to make coins? Whether it was done on purpose or by accident, I think it's most likely due to some such scenario.

Hopefully Dave's re-test can help to verify this hypothesis.

No. They were minted on blanks of 25% Nickel and 75% copper until the nickel was needed for the war effort, which is where the 35% silver, 56% copper and 9% maganese. In 1946 they went back to to 25% nickel and 75% copper. There were nickel blanks that made it into war nickel mintages, but it looks pretty sure this isn't that.

Isaac's suggestion might have some merit though.

 

[supertraq]

Higher reading may contain more silversilver than normal?

 

[Bquamb]

Can we get a quick video to hear and see as a comparison? That's so weird!

I tested my nickels out on my ctx 3030 and found that my 44-P come in at 12-35 and regular are around 12-10 to 12-20

Weird. I'd love to hear it.

 

[UnderMiner]

...I think I have just solved this mystery. Back in the olden days "a shiny new nickle" was something you gave a child if they were good, but nickles tarnish so unless you had a mint condition nickle it would not be shiny. What if someone decided to make the new silver war nickle even shinier - a super shiny nickle if you will? I think your coin is just a regular war nickle that someone silver plated. The added silver layer would account for both the extra weight and the higher tone on the detector. It would also explain how the coin emerged relatively clean and shiny as the silver-plate outer layer would not tarnish if the soil was sufficiently anaerobic.

And if you think all of this is a crazy theory, here is some hard evidence to back up my theory - in 2013 a coin roll hunter discovered a mysterious nickle - a 1944-P, the same exact date and mint as yours - only it was unusually shiny. The coin roll hunter concluded it had been plated with either chrome or silver. I highly doubt chrome would ring up in the 70's but pure silver certainly would! I think someone back in 1944 was making super shiny nickles for children by plating the new shiny war nickles in pure silver to make them even shinier!

 

[Goldiver]

Maybe it is a hollow spy coin.... http://www.fbi.gov/about-us/history/famous-cases/hollow-nickel

 

[kcm]

...I think I have just solved this mystery. Back in the olden days "a shiny new nickle" was something you gave a child if they were good, but nickles tarnish so unless you had a mint condition nickle it would not be shiny. What if someone decided to make the new silver war nickle even shinier - a super shiny nickle if you will? I think your coin is just a regular war nickle that someone silver plated. The added silver layer would account for both the extra weight and the higher tone on the detector. It would also explain how the coin emerged relatively clean and shiny as the silver-plate outer layer would not tarnish if the soil was sufficiently anaerobic.

And if you think all of this is a crazy theory, here is some hard evidence to back up my theory - in 2013 a coin roll hunter discovered a mysterious nickle - a 1944-P, the same exact date and mint as yours - only it was unusually shiny. The coin roll hunter concluded it had been plated with either chrome or silver. I highly doubt chrome would ring up in the 70's but pure silver certainly would! I think someone back in 1944 was making super shiny nickles for children by plating the new shiny war nickles in pure silver to make them even shinier!

Problem - in the OP, Dave wrote this:
So I grabbed the other 8 war nickels I've found, and compared them....
The 8 had the light plink sound of I guess copper and silver alloy, but the new one, still, thud.

The weight of my 8 average 4.79 grams, accounting for wear, should be 5 grams. The new one, 4.5 grams, but not nearly the wear as others.

The silver test kit revealed a black stain on the cotton, not red, indicative of silver...

 

[Scrappy]

This chick would love your thread Dave. A bunch of dudes talking about "somethin's funny about that thar nickel" lol.

I told my wife that something strange is going on with Daves nickel and she just shook her head.

 

[Tommy G]

Just a SWAG, but the finish looks like an added layer of something. This nickle may have been anodized, or perhaps someone tried to copper plate it. That would account both for the higher AT Pro reading, but not the weight loss.

 

[Deep-Digger-Dan]

There is another metal detecting forum that is Friendly. if you search "200 Nickels and not one War Nickel??" you can read some input from a few members there that explain what may be causing the nickel you've found to ring up a little higher. Most point to the Manganese content in the nickel changing over time.

I know that the second war nickel I found did the same thing, ring up 12-40 on my Etrac. Every war nickel since has been arounf 12-14/12-15.

 

[kcm]

There is another metal detecting forum that is Friendly.

Tnet isn't??

 

[david680]

Alright, read that thread. The answer that fits was that the soil/minerals/fertilizers in the ground can react with the manganese tin the war nickel and leach it out. As the manganese disappears, you are left with copper and silver both high conducters. Hence a higher VDI. (Thanks to Raphis over there). It could also explain the weight loss. Doesn't explain the "thud".

 

[galenrog]

If you are in doubt about this coin, have it authenticated by a reputable professional that is aware of the possibility that it could have any of the possible origins discussed thus far. Anything else is speculation.

Time for coffee.