Remains of a merc.

[born2hunt]

This is by far the worst silver coin I've ever found. I'm wondering if it was tossed into a campfire? No date and the reverse isn't much better. I found a 1942 quarter about six feet from this coin and it was in mint condition, compared to this one.

 

[captn_se]

Possibly a fire, being that you dug a silver quarter in great shape nearby. Although I've got handfuls of mercs that look exactly like that, and much worse, due to the oxidation process of silver being exposed to a combination of ground minerals, salts, moisture, fertilizers, and even certain tree types (pines are notorious for oxidizing silver coins from my observations).

HH,
CAPTN SE
Dan

 

[Dan-Pa.]

House fire is more like it I would think....have to get awful hot...

 

[LabradorBob]

I had actually read that some of the old moonshiners would bury there money and build a fire
on top of it,they figured it was safe there.

Labradorbob

 

[Eddie in Poulsbo]

It does look like that merc was in a fire. Glad the quarter was in better shape. HH.

Eddie

 

[Jaichim24]

Here's a couple pics of a fire damaged merc I found earlier this year. I was detecting a house dating back to 1901, in the back in the woods was an old stage coach road. The stage coaches used to make stops at this house as it was the mayors at the time. The carriage house burned down in like the 60's or so, I'm assuming this merc was the end result of it.

 

[drkp88]

I'd agree, most likely fire. I hit a spot outside of an old house that seemed to be an ash dump (probably from the fireplace). The silver coins that came from the ash area were all "bubbled" looking and the features distorted.
Bruce in Ct