Errors?
Hey me again.
I have a 2019 quarter that has issues and was hoping you could help me know what this may be error wise or value wise.
I'm not great at taking pics but maybe you can see enough to help me.
Thank you again
Robin
Posted by Simone on 1:27 PM December 29, 2025
Replies
That thing looks like it was melted somehow, let me do a little more research. If I've seen that before, I forgot about it. The planchet itself looks warped, id bet whatever happened, happened after the minting process
This coin is a 2019 "War in the Pacific" Quarter (featuring the Guam design) that has suffered from extreme heat damage. It is not a mint error.
Here is why it looks this way:
The Bubbled Surface: Modern quarters are made of a "clad" composition—a pure copper core sandwiched between two outer layers of nickel-copper. When these coins are exposed to extreme heat (like a house fire, a bonfire, or a blowtorch), the layers expand at different rates. Gas trapped inside or the expansion of the inner core causes the softened metal skin to bubble up.
"Mushy" Details: The details on Washington’s face and the soldiers on the reverse look melted or soft. This is a classic sign that the metal reached a temperature high enough to soften it, causing the sharp design elements to flow and lose their definition.
Porous/Rough Texture: The pitting and roughness occur as the metal cools down after being overheated, leaving behind a scarred surface.
Is it a Mint Error?
No. It is important to distinguish this from valuable errors:
Grease Errors: Sometimes grease gets into the die at the mint, but that results in smooth, missing details, not a bubbly or pitted texture.
Planchet Errors: While metal defects exist, they do not cover the entire coin in bubbles like this. This "melted" look is distinctive to fire damage.
How about that. I wasn't sure whether it was made that way or someone did that. I use to work with a guy at a convenience store and he knew I liked checking out the coins , if I saw something interesting. I think he did I lot to coins just to fool me.
Before he got me fired I realized the differences in coins and that's the reason I'm never sure about coins because people do things to them just to be mean. Its sad people are so hateful because I really enjoy looking at the coins I get in change everyday.
Thanks so much for the info and hopefully I'll realize the differences if I find another. I do love to look till my eyes are exhausted.
Again, Thank you.
Robin
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