Expert: PAPAJACK - 12/7/2006

Question
  I went out to eat yesterday and they lady giving me my change broke open a new roll of quarters from a bank roll. One quarter was gold, and she gave it to me saying she couldn't use it.
  The quarter is completely gold, is from 1984, and has a smooth edge all the way around. Do you know what this could be?

Answer
Hello Heather,

The Mint did not ever make golden colored quarters. If the coin is a US Quarter dollar it will say so. It should have a reeded edge as all do if it is the correct diameter.
Although it may have been a bank roll of quarters it was put together by someone, the federal reserve or the mint did not package it, or they would have been new dates.

The most common condition I have seen is gold plating. The metal may be a brass alloy or real gold but there are a ton of plated coins in circulation.
The Copper/Nickel outer layer take plating well but if you magnify the (fillet’s) area where the raised lettering is you will find a build-up of the plating material.

There are a few other possibilities.

It may be polished after the coin left the mint. With certain polishing mediums a silver look can be achieved. I have even seen cents cleaned in silver cleaners that change their color to silverish hues.

Or it was more possibly contaminated with nickel or chrome. This leaves a yellowish color.
Things like this are worthless to true coin collectors. Most coin shops and all coin shows have people knowledgeable enough to identify this piece for you at no charge.

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Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack