why aren't nickels in Silver Proof Sets 90% silver?

On Dec 27, 11:06*am, (Paul Ciszek) wrote:
In article ,
Arizona Coin Collector wrote:



Both pure silver, and pure gold, are very soft
metals. Copper is added as a hardener to both gold
and silver coins. The ratio mix is usually 90/10
(90% silver - 10% copper). Otherwise, pure gold or
silver coins would be to soft and easy to
deface.

Last time the issue of gold content of jewelry came up in another
newsgroup, the same statement was made--that pure gold was too soft
to make anything out of--and the reply was "Only Americans seem to
have that problem". *Allegedly jewelers in India, etc. have no
problem making jewelry out of pure gold. *I don't know who to
believe.

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It is partly a cultural thing - in India, women apparently like to
have their jewelry remade every few years (according to National
Geographic) and thus the fact that higher grade gold jewelery WILL
tend to lose its shape is not so much of an issue. Anything over 18
karat is relatively soft when it comes to jewelry that is worn often.

oly

Last time the issue of gold content of jewelry came up in another
newsgroup, the same statement was made--that pure gold was too soft
to make anything out of--and the reply was "Only Americans seem to
have that problem". *Allegedly jewelers in India, etc. have no
problem making jewelry out of pure gold. *I don't know who to
believe.

--
Please reply to: * * * * * *| "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is
pciszek at panix dot com * *| *indistinguishable from malice."
Autoreply is disabled * * * |

Apparently, the US Mint used to know how to make circulating coins out
of pure gold as well...

http://www.coinflation.com/gold_coin_values.html

Seems like the real reason for adding copper to gold coins was the
Mint equivalent of adding bread crumbs to meat loaf ...

In article ,
oly wrote:
On Dec 27, 11:06*am, (Paul Ciszek) wrote:
In article ,
Arizona Coin Collector wrote:



Both pure silver, and pure gold, are very soft
metals. Copper is added as a hardener to both gold
and silver coins. The ratio mix is usually 90/10
(90% silver - 10% copper). Otherwise, pure gold or
silver coins would be to soft and easy to
deface.

Last time the issue of gold content of jewelry came up in another
newsgroup, the same statement was made--that pure gold was too soft
to make anything out of--and the reply was "Only Americans seem to
have that problem". *Allegedly jewelers in India, etc. have no
problem making jewelry out of pure gold. *I don't know who to
believe.

It is partly a cultural thing - in India, women apparently like to
have their jewelry remade every few years (according to National
Geographic) and thus the fact that higher grade gold jewelery WILL
tend to lose its shape is not so much of an issue. Anything over 18
karat is relatively soft when it comes to jewelry that is worn often.

Would 90% gold work out to 21.6 karat, or is it not that simple?

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On Dec 27, 12:40*pm, (Paul Ciszek) wrote:


Would 90% gold work out to 21.6 karat, or is it not that simple?

It's that simple...


--
RARE COIN AUCTIONS NO RESERVES www.frankcoins.com
http://myworld.ebay.com/frankcoins Texas Auction License
11259, Board member of Texas Coin Dealers Association,
Member TNA, ANA, PCGS, NGC - Full Time Since 1991

On Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:22:41 -0800 (PST), oly wrote:

On Dec 26, 5:44*pm, Edwin Johnston wrote:
oly wrote:
On Dec 26, 5:09 pm, yawnmoth wrote:
Looking at the informational sheet in the 2008 Silver Proof Set, I see
that the nickel consists of 25% nickel and balance copper, whereas all
the other silver colored coins consist of 90% silver and balance
copper. *Any ideas as to why this is?

Traditionally, the five cent coin never was 90% silver. *Only the
traditional silver denominations are represented in silver. *Color has
nothing to do with it.

oly

But if they were truly being traditional, they'd have made the cent out
of 95% copper instead of copper coated zinc.


Very frankly, I am reasonably certain that the Mint could do a good
sale of traditional copper cents. Maybe make two or three million per
annum and sell them in $25 or $50 bags at five cents per coin. I wish
that they would do next year's four commemorative cents in good
bronze. It would be a boost to the elongated coin rollers, for sure.

The cents in next years annual coin sets will be 95% copper / 5% tin
and zinc:

http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/lincolnRedesign/

They should do the cents that way every year.

But I LIKE bread in my meatloaf!

wrote:
Last time the issue of gold content of jewelry came up in another
newsgroup, the same statement was made--that pure gold was too soft
to make anything out of--and the reply was "Only Americans seem to
have that problem". Allegedly jewelers in India, etc. have no
problem making jewelry out of pure gold. I don't know who to
believe.

--
Please reply to: | "Any sufficiently advanced incompetence is
pciszek at panix dot com | indistinguishable from malice."
Autoreply is disabled |


Apparently, the US Mint used to know how to make circulating coins out
of pure gold as well...

http://www.coinflation.com/gold_coin_values.html

Seems like the real reason for adding copper to gold coins was the
Mint equivalent of adding bread crumbs to meat loaf ...

oly wrote:
On Dec 26, 5:44 pm, Edwin Johnston wrote:
oly wrote:
On Dec 26, 5:09 pm, yawnmoth wrote:
Looking at the informational sheet in the 2008 Silver Proof Set, I see
that the nickel consists of 25% nickel and balance copper, whereas all
the other silver colored coins consist of 90% silver and balance
copper. Any ideas as to why this is?
Traditionally, the five cent coin never was 90% silver. Only the
traditional silver denominations are represented in silver. Color has
nothing to do with it.
oly
But if they were truly being traditional, they'd have made the cent out
of 95% copper instead of copper coated zinc.


Very frankly, I am reasonably certain that the Mint could do a good
sale of traditional copper cents. Maybe make two or three million per
annum and sell them in $25 or $50 bags at five cents per coin. I wish
that they would do next year's four commemorative cents in good
bronze. It would be a boost to the elongated coin rollers, for sure.

oly

I think perhaps only one of next year's cents will be issued in 95%
copper (not always sure about how legislation is written, then actually
enacted).
In any case, it will likely sell for more than 5 cents, and I'm guessing
some type of proof coin or satin finish, so as to charge way too much
money to purchase by the roll quantity.

wrote in message
...

Apparently, the US Mint used to know how to make circulating coins out
of pure gold as well...



The US Mint has never made circulating coinage of unalloyed gold.
Pure gold is far too soft to last in circulation, so copper was added to
toughen it up.

On Dec 27, 11:47*am, wrote:


Apparently, the US Mint used to know how to make circulating coins out
of pure gold as well...


The US Mint never made circulating coins of pure gold, only the recent
Buffalo nickel-design bullion coins.


--
RARE COIN AUCTIONS NO RESERVES www.frankcoins.com
http://myworld.ebay.com/frankcoins Texas Auction License
11259, Board member of Texas Coin Dealers Association,
Member TNA, ANA, PCGS, NGC - Full Time Since 1991

Jon Purkey wrote:
On Sat, 27 Dec 2008 05:22:41 -0800 (PST), oly wrote:

On Dec 26, 5:44 pm, Edwin Johnston wrote:
oly wrote:
On Dec 26, 5:09 pm, yawnmoth wrote:
Looking at the informational sheet in the 2008 Silver Proof Set, I see
that the nickel consists of 25% nickel and balance copper, whereas all
the other silver colored coins consist of 90% silver and balance
copper. Any ideas as to why this is?
Traditionally, the five cent coin never was 90% silver. Only the
traditional silver denominations are represented in silver. Color has
nothing to do with it.
oly
But if they were truly being traditional, they'd have made the cent out
of 95% copper instead of copper coated zinc.

Very frankly, I am reasonably certain that the Mint could do a good
sale of traditional copper cents. Maybe make two or three million per
annum and sell them in $25 or $50 bags at five cents per coin. I wish
that they would do next year's four commemorative cents in good
bronze. It would be a boost to the elongated coin rollers, for sure.

The cents in next years annual coin sets will be 95% copper / 5% tin
and zinc:

http://www.usmint.gov/mint_programs/lincolnRedesign/

They should do the cents that way every year.


It may turn out as you allege, but from the link it does not say so
specifically. It could be a single proof cent and a single satin finish
cent and still fit the description on the Mint's website.