Niewmismatic Error Coins

DENMARK 1957 - 5 ORE - FREDERIK IX - ZINC COIN

USA.1943.Lincoln Cent.Zinc-Coated Steel.

Tin Element Coin.

Lead Element Coin

ZINC, TIN and LEAD range from grey to white in color and are seldom used in their pure state as coinage metals. The surfaces of coins struck in these metals corrode rapidly and take on the appearance of being covered with a white powder. Being much heavier than the other two metals, lead is readily distinguished and possesses a very soft texture.

Malaysia Silver Proof Planchet.

Malaysia 1992 Proof Coins Set Of ^.Obverse.

SILVER ranges in color from grey to white, depending on the amount and nature of the base metals to which it is alloyed for coinage. Silver is generally combined with copper in percentages ranging up to a fineness up to a fineness of .925 (sterling); when the fineness is less than .500 the resulting metal is known as Billon. Sulphur in the air causes a chemical reaction which tones the surface of silver coins, often causing them to display varying shades of blue, purple and yellow. Extended exposure of silver coins to open air may cause them to turn almost black.

Malaysia.1971.Tunku Gold $100. .917. Obverse.

GOLD is the most precious of coinage metals, and is generally used alloyed with copper at a ratio of 9-to-1. Gold is the heaviest of the traditional coinage metals, and in its refined state may range in color from a very pale to a very rich yellow. Depending on the nature of the alloy, the coinage metal can vary in color from a very pale yellow to a reddish-yellow. Gold in its pure state, and generally as alloyed for coinage, is not subject to tarnishing or corrosion, and  seldom tones.

Russian Platinum Coin.

PLATINUM has occasionally been used for coinage in the place of gold, it possesses similar weight properties to those of gold, but has a dull silver-grey color.

Palladium Element Coin

PALLADIUM, a member of the platinum family of metals, has been infrequently utilized for coinage. It possesses dull silver-grey color qualities similar to those of platinum.

Russia 5 Rouble 1992.Brass-Clad-Steel.

Russiann Coins.Cupro nickel-clad-copper

CLAD METALS have been employed in coinage since the early 1900s, in a number of forms, but their application has widened in the years since World War II. In most instances examination of the edge of a clad coin will reveal a base metal in the center to which has been bonded, by heat and pressure, thin outer layers of a different metal. Brass-clad-steel coins possess brass colored surfaces and are magnetic, as are copper-clad-steel coins which have copper colored surfaces, while nickel or cupronickel-clad-steel coins bear surfaces characteristic of the properties of the cladding. Cupro nickel-clad-copper looks like cupronickel on the surface,but the edge evidences a copper color, and nickel-clad-cupronickel coins appear to be cupronickel and are slightly magnetic.


The traditional coinage metals and their symbolic chemical abbreviations follow:


Platinum - (Pt)                                                                                Brass -
     Gold - (Au)                                                                  Copper-nickel - (CN)
    Silver - (Ag)                                                                                Lead - (Pb)
    Billon -                                                                                         Stell -
   Nickel - (Ni)                                                                                   Tin - (Sn)
      Zinc - (Zn)                                                                         Aluminum - (Al)
 Bronze) -  (Ae) or (Cu)                                                     Cupro-nickel) -
Copper) -  (Ae) or (Cu)                                                     Clad Copper) -