# Numismatists: Solid vs. plated vs. 'layered' gold (need a good quality state quarter) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 3, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numismatists-solid-vs-plated-vs-layered-gold-need-a-good-quality-state-quarter/662557 "2013-07-03T16:03:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 4\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numismatists-solid-vs-plated-vs-layered-gold-need-a-good-quality-state-quarter/662557/1 "2013-07-03T16:03:22Z")
I know what solid gold is, and realize that such an animal would be pretty expensive if not rare. I am looking for a better-quality replacement for [the gold plated state quarter](http://www.coinsofamerica.com/idaho-gold-quarter-collection-cg9943.html) that I wear around my neck, which, since I foolishly bought it on the cheap, is now tarnishing and wearing pretty badly. So, to get a replacement, what should I look for? I actually might want to spring for a solid gold one, if I could find it, even if it might cost several thousand dollars, but will settle for a lower cost ‘compromised’ one if it isn’t a piece of crud. TIA. ---
**Author:** ![gnoitall](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/bb73d2/32.png) [@gnoitall](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnoitall)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 4:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numismatists-solid-vs-plated-vs-layered-gold-need-a-good-quality-state-quarter/662557/2 "2013-07-03T16:08:51Z")
> [@John\_DiFool](#): > > I know what solid gold is, and realize that such an animal would be pretty expensive if not rare. > > I am looking for a better-quality replacement for [the gold plated state quarter](http://www.coinsofamerica.com/idaho-gold-quarter-collection-cg9943.html) that I wear around my neck, which, since I foolishly bought it on the cheap, is now tarnishing and wearing pretty badly. > > So, to get a replacement, what should I look for? I actually might want to spring for a solid gold one, if I could find it, even if it might cost several thousand dollars, but will settle for a lower cost ‘compromised’ one if it isn’t a piece of crud. TIA. I don’t know if anyone but the mint can strike a full reproduction of legal coinage in any metal, even if explicitly for jewelry purposes. So I think whatever you’re thinking, it has to start out life as an official non-counterfeit state quarter. As such, the gold finish will probably have to be some kind of surface treatment, and correspondingly subject to eventual wearthrough. ---
**Author:** ![OldGuy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/3bc359/32.png) [@OldGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OldGuy)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numismatists-solid-vs-plated-vs-layered-gold-need-a-good-quality-state-quarter/662557/3 "2013-07-03T17:17:23Z")
> [@gnoitall](#): > > I don’t know if anyone but the mint can strike a full reproduction of legal coinage in any metal, even if explicitly for jewelry purposes. So I think whatever you’re thinking, it has to start out life as an official non-counterfeit state quarter.. I believe it’s legal to strike a replica coin as long as it’s obviously a different size. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2013, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/numismatists-solid-vs-plated-vs-layered-gold-need-a-good-quality-state-quarter/662557/4 "2013-07-03T22:22:21Z")
Why not just get the thing replated? The longer it’s left in, the thicker the plating will be.