Authentic Racketeer nickels ?

Below is my post from the Coin community forum forum about racketeer nickels...

I'd like to weigh in here by presenting an article from the Smithsonian magazine that show a racketeer nickel unearthed in Deadwood. This is the "only know racketeer nickel to be unearthed in an archeological dig". 

https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/brief-history-racketeer-nickel-180961066/

I think this puts to rest the idea that "real" racketeer nickels had ridges on the edges. The plating process of the day employees a solution of gold chloride to put a thin layer of gold. This was and is often referred to as jilting or a gold wash. This was used to coat the inside of teaspoons, drinking glasses and bowls. This type of plating would not adhere well to the ridges of a coin. This would look particularly bad if the edges were done in a crude handmade process. 

The coin found at Deadwood had no ridges and the plating is a good example of jilting.

The modern electro plated coins have a shiny smooth finish and over time this process causes the copper to migrate to the surface and break the gold surface (copper creep). Better modern flashed coins take this into account. The photos here show a modern racketeer nickel made a few months ago.