Counterfeit Buffalo Nickel?

[htrdsx]

I've had this nickel for several years. I don't know if it a counterfeit or what. It's dated 1920, but the metal isn't right. The dimensions are .814 in. diameter and .051 thick. The 36 buff is .836 in diameter and .069 thick for comparison. I worked at casino in Reno back in the 70s replacing all the old mechanical machines with electronic ones. We took the old machines to a warehouse and cleaned and repaired them for resale. I found this coin in one of the nickel machines and kept it because of the unusual appearance. I just thought you all may have some info or opinions on it. Thanks in advance.
Gary B

 

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[Mackaydon]

May have been in a fire.

 

[stefen]

Cannot image anyone forging a buf nickel...

Must be dumber than an ice cube...

(Although it's worth 5x more than a copper cent...

 

[duggap]

It may have been in salt water for some time.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

It may have been in salt water for some time.

saltwater cookie coin

It resembles these I found on the beach.

 

[htrdsx]

I guess it could be corrosion from salt water. It came out of the bottom of a slot machine that had been in use since the thirties. Apparently it was kicked out by the mechanism. It just kicked it out to the bottom of the machine instead of the coin box. A nickel in the thirties was an hour's pay to a lot of people, when they could get the work. I remember my mother working for 15 cents an hour as a waitress in the sixties. And my grandfather worked as a union construction worker in California in the forties for 15 to 30 cents an hour at one of the better paying jobs in the area around Santa Cruz Co. at the time. I just thought the coin was pretty unusual.
Thanks for the comments.

 

[lookindown]

Just badly corroded.....I find pennies and dimes in freshwater that are worse than that.

 

[walhooey]

I took a dozen buffaloes like this out of the ground at the old Roseville Ca. train depot. They all look like this one , I believe it has something to do with the soil composition. Modern clad pennies will have holes burned through them in about a month in the same area

 

[aa battery]

i think not

 

[steelheadwill]

Not sure about your buff, but I find Memorial cents in saltwater almost paper thin,
it can dissolve metals pretty quickly