I have seen a lot of corroded surfaces in my career, and the texture of the surface of that 1987 dime looks exactly like it was soaked in an acid or another corrosive solution (such as salty water, etc). Recall the old days of acid etching a dateless buffalo nickel, in which the flat date area could be read after etching, illustrating that etching a struck surface can retain or even enhance the original surface topography. An etched dime would be lighter due to material loss, rough, darkened, and still show the original image.

This coin could have been intentionally etched, or simply lost for a while in a street side snow bank where a lot of salt had been put on the road. If in doubt, look for pitting and darkness on the reeded edge that looks like the faces. The horizontal raised ridges are indicative of the rolling direction used in the manufacture of the original sheet/strip of clad metal. When rolled sheet or strip is etched, often intentionally for metallurgical microexamination, the rolling direction becomes obvious. It is due to metal flow, roll striations, crystal deformation, and slight differences in applied pressure on the sheet during the rolling process.

The coin is not an error of any type - it's been buried in the ground for some time, or otherwise has been 'environmentally damaged' on the surfaces, due to where it's been in the past. It's not a clad error - and it didn't leave the US Mint looking like that...

Len Augsburger inquired about a token that states "The U. S. Needs a 2 1/2 C Coin." This coin is listed on the Newman Portal on page 14 of my book "Tokens and Medals of American Numismatists". I have examples in aluminum and brass.

When a Spanish 1 Real coin was worth 12.5 cents, there was a need for a 2.5 cent coin to convert the Spanish coin into U. S. coins. I am not aware that the Congress ever seriously considered a coin of that denomination.

There are thousands of brass tokens that are worth 2 1/2 cents in trade. This might suggest the need for a 2 1/2 cent coin. In practical usage, a business might offer something at the price of two for a nickel. The customer could take one and receive the token in change. The token kept the patron in the bar for his second drink rather than going across the street for his second drink.

I have done a bit of a search of relevant numismatic literature. I have not found any discussion of Boosel's attempt to promote 2.5 cent coinage.

The meeting will take place in the Uris Room at the Grand Hyatt Hotel on E 42nd Street, on Saturday January 12th, at 4 PM.

Our speaker is the London-based numismatist Jeremy Cheek, the honorary numismatic consultant to the British royal collection housed in Windsor Castle, and author of the new Spink title Monarchy, Money & Medals. This is a rare opportunity outside the UK to not only learn about the background to the collection in its current form, but also to see images of some spectacular rarities in the British series from it.

All are welcome, and you don't have to be a member of the Society to attend.

I've been working on an article for The Numismatist on a very odd Persis 3rd cent. B.C. drachma and digging through the associated literature.

Here are images of a coin pictured on a piece of currency. What can E-Sylum readers tell us about it? How old are these? Who are the people in the image? What does the animal represent?