Is it time to start saving those per 1982 pennies?

[Dang]

I worked in the grocery industry for a quarter of a century and lately I noticed those dark copper pennies are showing up less and less in the rolls we get from the bank.
Makes me wonder if we should hord them like our parents did with silver when clad coins started.

 

[ken ward]

I have been saving them for many years. The last time I put them on a scale it was 70+ lbs. That was my 1st jug.. KEN,, IND.

 

[ironsight]

I hear you. I save all copper pennies especially the wheats. Dimes too.

Just wait til pennies are no longer minted!
Just a matter of time!
Though they could start making em out of aluminum.

We all just could be sitting on a future copper penny forturne!

 

[Hobo lobo]

Been saving em since 1982. got some new unc in rolls from 80 or 81.

 

[D&P-OR]

You & I ain't gonna live long enough to see them worth anything (signifigant)--the copper memorials, Darrel.-----Save 'em & give em to the kids & grandkids, I guess!----I've thought about going to all the work of separating them out of our finds a lot of times---then I came to my senses.---That's a lot of work looking at dates (or weighing) every single little memorial! ---I guess you could separate them by either throwing them in different finds bag pockets as you found them or testing them with a detector when you got home.----The wheat backs---yeah, we've saved every wheatie we ever found.---BTW, they made the change over in composition in pennies in mid-'82-----some of em in that year are coppers & some of em are zincs.---------Delquote="Hobo lobo"]
Been saving em since 1982. got some new unc In rolls from 80 or 81.[/quote]

 

[CladDog]

Its also illegal to melt them down. I doubt that law will change.

If the government evers wants to buy them from you, you can bet it will be for far less than the market value for copper.

I'm a bit torn, but right now I don't see a benefit to storing them.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

If someone shows up with ingots of copper, how does anyone know whether they're melted pennies or not ?

But I guess it's all a moot point. Because at the current value of copper, the effort to melt down, re-sell to wholesale metal dealers, etc.... is simply not worth the time. Maybe when they hit 5c value of copper each, and if you had 70 lbs of them, then maybe worth the time to make ingot/bricks for sale.

 

[Larry (IL)]

Penny copper is an alloy, not pure copper. Metal dealers will not dare buy copper that has zinc and tin because that would obviously be penny copper and melting pennies and nickels is a felony. It is also illegal to export the coins for melting.

Most people who are hoarding cents are hoping the law changes some day............. but good luck on that.

 

[Tom_in_CA]

Ah yes, now I recall why it's simply not worth the over-head costs. NOT necessarily because the cost of melting into ingots (although at only 2c each intrinsic value, that may not be worth the labor, even with 70 lbs of pennies!). But other issue is that someone would need to, as you say smelt out the zinc and tin alloys. Simply not worth the processes, expense, and time to do it. You'd have to do it on a large scale, have the right methods to extract the pure copper, and have the value-enough-in the copper market to do it.

I can't imagine how much copper value would have to rise to, and the amount of pennies someone would have to have, before that ever became practical. As long as it's forbidden, that is. Perhaps when that rule is lifted (as it was for silver way-back-when), then ... it might be worth someone's time.

 

[mudpuppy]

I'm currently building a gun that shoots pennys out of an old paintball gun and the guts from a Paslode impulse nailer..instead of CO2, as in a paintball gun, its fired off the same technology as the Paslode impulse nailer, electric, only really fast..using a flammable gas cannister....looking at the end of the barrel, instead of a round bore, it has 3 flat slots, they fly out the barrel at 1280 fps like little frisbees..the flat slot has to be machined just right near the end to give them a spin...built the clip to hold four rolls..200rds, .though an extended mag and bulk dump hopper is possible...in full auto, all pennies down range in sub 10 sec..not accurate or lethal beyond 30 feet...

When I say I'm CURRENTLY building this gun, I mean I'm currently building it right now as I type this in my mind! Whatcha think? That sure would be a good use for pennies!
Mud

 

[Steve O]

Mud, I think at 1230 fps they'd be lethal beyond 30 feet. I also know that while reading your post, I was getting pumped. Strange the things we find interesting.

 

[mudpuppy]

Hah! I know right!

Now I cant stop thinking about building a gatling gun that shoots all the discharged AA batteries I have laying around! Now that thing would have some range!
Dammit! entirely off topic again! No I dont save pre 82 pennies, too much work..
Mud

 

[Goldstrike]

Mud.....you must be a prepper or something? lol I vote you in as the King of Improvisation!!!! ( at least as far as improv; weapons are concerned) BTW I also don't hoard/save penny's UNLESS they are 'Chain' Cents

 

[John(Tx)]

only work involved is putting them in cans.......

 

[Hobo lobo]

It doesn't cost any thing to save em, maybe some day I will cash em in. I dr[ll holes in the zink ones and use them for washers for some of my hobbies and projects.

 

[Dang]

Well thank you everyone for your 2 cents worth. HA!
I think some of you are missed the point I'm trying make here.
And the point it seems is that the older pre '82 pennies are disappearing
from the penny rolls we get from the banks. Tons of zincs but
fewer and fewer copper pennies. Maybe there're being smuggled out
of the country. To china or India ..to be used against US troops with thier
penny shooting guns? Hey...I just want to know where are all
the copper pennies going?

 

[jughed440]

not really worth the time or money, but fun.....and i say the same thing to myself after having a beer.

 

[jughed440]

I'm currently building a gun that shoots pennys out of an old paintball gun and the guts from a Paslode impulse nailer..instead of CO2, as in a paintball gun, its fired off the same technology as the Paslode impulse nailer, electric, only really fast..using a flammable gas cannister....looking at the end of the barrel, instead of a round bore, it has 3 flat slots, they fly out the barrel at 1280 fps like little frisbees..the flat slot has to be machined just right near the end to give them a spin...built the clip to hold four rolls..200rds, .though an extended mag and bulk dump hopper is possible...in full auto, all pennies down range in sub 10 sec..not accurate or lethal beyond 30 feet...

Reminds me of an EX coworker who claimed he would open the ends of shotgun shells and replace the buckshot with dimes....he claimed (with wide eyes and a big grin on his face) that it would cut a critter in two. This was/is his home defense ammo. I bet those tumbling dimes don't have much range.


Sorry, OP...I promise to stick to the topic from now on :blush:

 

[WIHawker]

I save them. I can't think of a good reason not to.

 

[D&P-OR]

YOUSE GUYS!!----Ya about got me (ALMOST) talked into savin them--like I didn't have enuf stuff layin around!----I have this big fight with myself about once a year (whether to save em or not).-----Hmmm, maybe I will---something else to leave the kids & grandkids!------I'm all set up to do it---got a WHOLE LOT of empty coffee cans!----------Del