Laos - 10 Kip kM-31

How can a copper-nickel coin be “Magnetic”?

jim Kindrake

It would have to be a copper nickel alloy with much higher than normal nickel content. However, I suspect whoever entered that coin page got confused with the KM# 31a which is magnetic.

Thanks, I agree with you. The 2020 Krause Catalog is very confusing about these “5 masted clipper”10 Kip coins. 

There are 3 listed in KM as follows (ignoring the copper piece):

KM# 31 “Copper-nickel” 32.5 mm (I.e. a ”large” size—the one Numista describes as “magnetic”, but shouldn’t be);

KM# 31a “Nickel-bonded steel” 32.5  mm“- (which would be very magnetic); and

KM# 101 “6.30 g., Copper-nickel 24.1 mm“ described as “Five-masted schooner (!), not “Clipper” (obviously “smaller) and the only one with no picture but with the weight given-it would have been helpful in solving this confusion if weights for all three pieces had been indicated ).

I believe I have:

KM# 31.a (which is clearly nickel-bonded-steel) and

KM# 101 (which is 6.30 g., 24.1 mm, and which is clearly copper-nickel). Note: the coin says on it “Five Masted Clipper“, like the others, and not ”Five Masted Schooner”).

It’s hard to find something that doesn’t exist. So, until someone can show me otherwise, I believe there is only a large KM# 31a with magnetic N-B-S, and NO large-sized KM# 31. 
I believe someone discovered the N-B-S version and, as you have also hypothesized, mistook it for being  “copper-nickel” —-but also “magnetic” (which should have aroused suspicions)—- and it was mistakenly given the KM# 31 designation. 

So, really, the same coin is mistakenly listed twice, and there is only the N-B-S version, KM# 31,a.

So, someone find me a KM-31–both large size and NON—MAGNETIC copper-nickel. I am not holding my breath.

Jim Kindrake
 

There are both KM# 31 an KM# 31a on Ucoin listed as non-magnetic and magnetic. Of course, without having both in hand, we can't prove that.

Thanks so much. They DO appear to be different metals. If they are 🤞,THERE IS a copper-nickel KM-31, but it should not be described as “magnetic”. Ucoin has it right, showing it as “non-magnetic”, and so does KM.. 

I wish we had their weights, which might or might not be different, or, as you say, we could see them in hand, to be sure.

But thanks so much for  helping to clear up some of the confusion. I now think it is simply a description error, in Numista describing the large copper-nickel, KM# 31 version, as “magnetic”. Numista should change their description to “non-magnetic” and then everything kind of falls into place.

Regards,

jim

I just submitted a change request to change the title.

rsirian1

I just submitted a change request to change the title.

Hello! I have a magnetic 10 Kip Prussia, 32.5 mm, listed as KM 31a. Which is the Numista page for it?

Regards

Hello. There is no page for the KM# 31a coin yet.