How do you determine silver content of a 1967 Canadian dime?

Krause lists the .800 silver dime as KM#67 and the .500 silver dime as KM#67a, and gives a single combined mintage figure.

Both are listed as 2.3328g, with 18.03mm diameters, and identical designs.

How to distinguish between them has me baffled.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Me, too.:yes: I just assume they are all .800 because I'm so lucky.

 

Go here: http://www.coinflation.com/canada/

 

There, you'll find this:

I'm not seeing how this helps answer the question.

 

This question comes up from time to time here.
The .800 and the .500 both weigh the same.
A specific gravity test is the only sure way to determine which is which.

 

Thanks, CG. When I posted the link, I wasn't aware of that.

 

Correct. But, I can't be bothered doing the test. It's easier just to write .800.

 

Wait a minute, you mean 67-68 dimes and quarters have silver in them? I think I've been letting my kids play with my small bag of foreign coins with some of these mixed in with them.

Yeah, I'm not big on foreign coins or know much about them.

 

Awww, c'mon Rodeo, Canada isn't "too" foreign!

 

If two coins have exactly the same physical dimensions and weigh exactly the same, their specific gravity will be the same, at least as far as I remember.... maybe not; college was a long time ago.

 

Yep, unless they're hollow.

In practice, as I understand it, you've got to use the specific gravity test because just measuring a coin's "thickness" and diameter isn't enough -- the variations due to the coin's relief design exceed the variation in specific gravity, unless you're dealing with something like gold that's much denser than any practical substitute.

 

As I posted in another thread - would a tissue test work to tell them apart?

 

Anybody try a metallurgy test? :devil:

 

Do they possibly sound different when dropped? I would think that they do

 

I just flipped a 64 kennedy and a 65 kennedy, the 40% has a much higher pitch when flicked into the air, the 90% soinds duller. Im not saying it will work but give it a shot. Of course you would need a known specimen of either composition, a "master coin" if you will.

 

As I said before, specific gravity will tell you nothing if the coins have the same dimensions and weigh the same .... mass with respect to volume and water, that's the definition of specific gravity. An electron scope or zapper will tell in a heartbeat. We should have an article soon in the CN Journal about zapping hundreds of 1859 cents to try to demystify the brass quandry. Higher silver content will produce a sharper higher pitch sound when dropped .. I've heard hundreds of silver dimes, quarters and halves hit the bar.