Dark Nickel

[CarolinaFinder2011]

Found this nickel in with some change and wondered why it was so dark. It is in fairly good condition and doesn't look like it has been damaged by a chemical. The pictures are as clear as I could get them with the camera I was using. Put a regular color nickel to give perspective. Thanks for any information.

 

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[idahotokens]

It has been way too long since I was in Chemistry 101, but I think you are looking at black nickel oxide. Google nickel oxide and you will find a lot of references to how various chemicals can oxidize nickel.
John in ID

 

[azlegends]

It has been way too long since I was in Chemistry 101, but I think you are looking at black nickel oxide. Google nickel oxide and you will find a lot of references to how various chemicals can oxidize nickel.
John in ID

I would agree, looks like pretty standard oxidation.

 

[Rooter]

Not necessarily oxidation. FYI from another forum. "It seems a number of 1958 and 1959 Jefferson Nickels were struck on planchets that were improperly annealed. The annealing process is where the unstruck planchets are heated before striking. These improperly annealed planchets are assumed to have been inadvertently run through multiple cycles in the annealing oven resulting in a "burnt" look to the coins leaving them with a black color, thus the "Black Beauty" label. The coins generally will show a lot of luster."

The large picture of the obverse appears to have a deep, even looking surface and decent luster. Oxidation would lay more on the surface. I'm not sure if this may have resulted from some of those left over planchets still around in 1961 but I guess it's possible.

 

[CarolinaFinder2011]

Thanks for the opinions. I looked at some other "Black Beauty" nickels and the one I have does look very similar. The pictures don't show up that well but it does have a really nice luster.