I have a bunch of Canadian silver quarters that I was thinking about selling so I weighed them to make sure they were 80%. When I got to the 1968 quarter, which I think only came in 50% silver, the weight was too high. The Canadian mint lists this coins weight as 5.05 grams, but it weighs as 5.7 grams. Did they also make this in 80% silver, or could this be an error coin on the wrong planchet? I don't know anything about Canadian coins so any help is appreciated. I can post pictures if it helps.
hope this link my help http://wiki.answers.com/Q/How_can_y...0_percent_silver_from_one_that_is_half_silver
http://www.coinsandcanada.com/coins-prices.php?coin=25-cents-1968&years=25-cents-1953-2010 this says the silver and nickle ones weighed the same 5.83. that seems strange to me. sure its silver?
I am guessing that the OP did not realize 1968 quarters also come in pure nickel. According to my 1998 Charlton Catalogue, 1968 50% Silver weighs 5.83 grams. 1968 Pure nickel weighs 5.07 grams.
My scale only takes grams down to one decimal point, but I think it was bouncing between 5.7 and 5.8. I am pretty sure it is silver because it looks and sounds like silver, and it has the same coloring and weight as a bunch of 1967 Canadian quarters I have. I got my information off the Canadian mint site at http://www.mint.ca/store/mint/learn/25-cents-5300010#25_1 If you click on technical specifications, you can see the following information for quarters: 1953 to 1967 Composition: 80%silver, 20% copper Weight (g): 5.83 Diameter (mm): 23.88 Thickness (mm): n/a 1967 to 1968 Composition: 50% silver, 50% copper Weight (g): 5.05 Diameter (mm): 23.88 Thickness (mm): n/a 1968 to 1977 Composition: 99.9% nickel Weight (g): 5.05 Diameter (mm): 23.88 Thickness (mm): 1.6 What's with all these resources having different specs for the 50% silver weight?
I think the mint's weight for 50% silver is incorrect. I think you proved that with your heavy silver quarter that you weighed.
In 1997 Canada started using copper plated zinc composition cents. The mint site says so and I remember it as so. Nowadays it is plated steel. Krause Publications calls them all copper plated steel.
if it is fairly worn,(as most of my silvers are) could this account the the weight loss?, no idea about the 80%silver but if its not worn out, maybe wrong planchet? i was thinking maybe philadelphia coin but that was dimes. anyone have weights on us and other coins that year? (plus you would need a more precise weight)
So, is that how you tell the difference between the non-silver and the 50% quarters from 1968? Just by the weight of the coins? Were any of you able to get a definitive understanding of what the weights should be? (There seems to be some confusion in this thread.)
Considering that the OP's coin weight was 5.7 grams and that silver is denser than nickel, I still believe Carlton's figures. 5.07 g for pure nickel and 5.83 g for 50% silver.
