A clad layer on a coin refers to the outer layers of metal that are bonded to a core of a different metal . Imagine a sandwich, where the bread represents the outer clad layers and the filling is the inner core.
- Multi-layered construction: Clad coins are created by pressing together layers of different metals, resulting in a coin that’s not made of a single, uniform metal.
- Cost-effectiveness: This technique became popular as metal prices rose, allowing governments to produce durable coins using less expensive core metals with more valuable, yet still affordable, metals on the outer layers. For example, a common combination is a core of copper sandwiched between layers of nickel.
- Durability: The layering process helps make the coins stronger and more resistant to wear and tear, ensuring they last longer in circulation.
- Visual appeal: The outer layers can be chosen to create an attractive finish, [like the shiny nickel on many US coins].
- Security: The specific metal composition and layering can make clad coins harder to counterfeit, adding a layer of security to the currency.
Since 1965, most circulating US coins, including dimes, quarters, and half dollars, are clad. They typically have a pure copper core with outer layers of a cupro-nickel alloy, which gives them a silver-like appearance.
Some clad coins also contain silver, such as the Kennedy Half Dollars minted from 1965 to 1969, which have a 40% silver content . These differ from older, pure silver coins (pre-1965) which typically had a 90% silver content.
One easy way to identify a clad coin is by examining its edge. You’ll likely see a distinct copper color peeking out from the core layer. This “third edge” differentiates them from older, pure silver coins which have a uniform color across the edge.
