For those of you who can't afford to buy gold and silver

Base Metal Values of Coins:

A single nickel, when melted, is worth $0.0235. (2 cents)

A single quarter, when melted, is worth $0.0207. (2 cents)

Penny and dime are not even worth $0.01 (1 cent).

1 melted penny = $0.009.

1 melted dime = $0.008.

$4.2728 = nickel price / pound on Feb 20, 2009.

$1.4224 = copper price / pound on Feb 20, 2009.

$0.4858 = zinc price / pound on Feb 20, 2009.

So, nickel is worth more than copper which is worth more than zinc.

Nickel contains 75% nickel, 25% copper

Quarter contains 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel

Penny contains 95% copper, 5% zinc

Dime contains 91.67% copper, 8.33% nickel

$10.00 of coins by melted value:

1) Penny - Total melt value is $9.43.

2) Nickel - Total melt value is $4.71.

3) Dime - Total melt value is $0.83.

4) Quarter - Total melt value is $0.83.

So, it is most economical to gather pennies and nickels for trade because they
yield the most amount of precious metals with any purchasing power. Even though
the coin's face value is greater than its melted value, in the event of a total collapse
of the dollar, this would become irrelevant. Only the inherent value would count and
not its face value.

great info keep informing the sheep ,I smell ameros burning

This is good information, thanks. I have a jug of "emergency" coins, and i do think it is going to the back of the closet with the other just-in-case supplies.

I just got an email from a friend who is starting a gold purchasing co-op. The purchases will all be actual coins, gold and silver, and the co-op is limited to a group of us who have known each other 15+ years. I was thinking of cashing the coinage in for a quick buy in but looking at where gold prices are right now, I think I'm going to hang tight for a bit.

reply to post by wolfwood290


S&F!

I found some more infomation on this...had seen it a year ago, and remembered it when I saw this post! I looked up the blog source and posted it below, it gives pretty detailed information on saving nickels.
Not so much pennys...read what he says.

We saw what happened when clad copper dimes, quarters and half dollars were introduced in 1965. We should learn from history. Something comparable will very likely soon to happen with nickels. You, as a SurvivalBlog.com reader, are now armed with that knowledge. You can and should benefit from it, before Uncle Sugar performs his next sleight of hand trick and starts passing off silver-plated zinc tokens as "nickels". - James Wesley, Rawles -- Editor of www.SurvivalBlog.com

www.survivalblog.com...

If my memory serves me correctly, pennies made before 1982 are mostly copper and not just copper coated. Try dropping a pre-1982 penny and a penny made after '82 onto a table and you can hear the difference.

Here are current coin values:

United States Circulating Coinage Intrinsic Value Table
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table based on February 20, 2009 closing base metal prices:
Copper $1.4224/lb 0.0565 Zinc $0.4858/lb 0.0099 Nickel $4.2728/lb 0.1482

Description Denomination Metal Value Metal % of Denomination
1909-1982 Cent (95% copper) * $0.01 $0.0094310 94.31%
1946-2009 Nickel $0.05 $0.0235340 47.06%
1982-2009 Cent (97.5% zinc) * $0.01 $0.0028063 28.06%
1965-2009 Dime $0.10 $0.0082985 8.29%
1965-2009 Quarter $0.25 $0.0207474 8.29%
1971-2009 Half Dollar $0.50 $0.0414953 8.29%
1971-1978 Eisenhower Dollar $1.00 $0.0829914 8.29%
1979-1981, 1999 SBA Dollar $1.00 $0.0296395 2.96%
2000-2009 Sacagawea Dollar $1.00 $0.0252759 2.52%
2007-2009 Presidential Dollar $1.00 $0.0252759 2.52%

* The U.S. Mint issued both compositions in 1982; they can be differentiated by weight (3.11 g copper, 2.5 g zinc). The 1943 steel cent is not included in the table above. Also, a tin alloy is used in one cent pieces from 1864 until 1962, but that value isn't significant enough to calculate.




Table based on February 20, 2009 1:30 PM EST precious metal prices (after-hour prices not reflected):
Silver $14.45/oz 0.42

Description Denomination Silver Value Silver % of Denomination
1942-1945 Nickel ** $0.05 $0.8130 1626.02%
1916-1945 Mercury Dime $0.10 $1.0453 1045.30%
1946-1964 Roosevelt Dime $0.10 $1.0453 1045.30%
1932-1964 Quarter $0.25 $2.6132 1045.30%
1916-1947 Half Dollar $0.50 $5.2265 1045.30%
1948-1963 Half Dollar $0.50 $5.2265 1045.30%
1964 Kennedy Half Dollar $0.50 $5.2265 1045.30%
1965-1970 Half Dollar (40% silver) $0.50 $2.1370 427.41%
1878-1921 Morgan Dollar $1.00 $11.1763 1117.63%
1921-1935 Peace Dollar $1.00 $11.1763 1117.63%
1971-1976 Eisenhower Dollar (40% silver) ** $1.00 $4.5695 456.95%

** The U.S. Mint issued two compositions of the nickel in 1942. The standard copper-nickel composition used today and the 35% silver composition listed here. Also, 40% silver Eisenhower dollars were issued as collectibles only, they are generally not found in circulation.

www.coinflation.com...

reply to post by wolfwood290



Thank you for this info! I have lots of change jars.

Hmm.. I think Tin and Plastic will have MUCH more value.

That is Tin and Plastic wrapped around Food!

Invest in Rice, canned food, popcorn, and pasta!

reply to post by infolurker


Absolutely in the worst case scenario id rather have some food than pieces of metal.

Also don't forget about Lead and brass..... ammo that is.

If nothing else, get a .22 Rifle... a ruger 10/22 new for about 200 bucks or if super cheap, pick up a mossburg plinkster for about 120 bucks.

Go to Walmart and buy the Federal and or Winchester 550 round loose pack 22 rounds for 13-15 bucks a box.

Cheap investment and worth the piece of mind for our "new to" or "don't have" firearms members.

Want to know the most undervalued item right now, that will be worth it's "weight in gold" (so to speak)?

Toilet Paper.

I see this is posted in two places, so I'll just paste what I posted there.

Pennys are only 95% copper if dated prior to 1982.

source

95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc from 1864 to 1962.

In 1962, the cent's tin content, which was quite small, was removed. That made the metal composition of the cent 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc.

The alloy remained 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc until 1982, when the composition was changed to 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper (copper-plated zinc). Cents of both compositions appeared in that year.

As a detectorist, I knew the dates but had to look up the percentages

Present compositions of coins.



TheWelder

It's an offence to melt down coinage or to export significant numbers of pennies or nickels to destinations outside the USA.

Maximum penalty $10,000 fine or 5 yrs in jail, take your pick.

great to know, guess all them old people with penny jars knew something we all didnt

save your pennies, you may need them in case of armageddon

Originally posted by Niall197
It's an offence to melt down coinage or to export significant numbers of pennies or nickels to destinations outside the USA.

Maximum penalty $10,000 fine or 5 yrs in jail, take your pick.

Unless you are an employee of the mint, in which case it can be punished by death!

TheWelder

for those who can't or don't want to go the investment route,
and have a broker get their 1 or 2% fee...
there are silver coin dealers that will sell rolls of 20 each coins...
these coins are the 'Silver Eagles' minted by the "US Treasury"
which are PM Silver & not one of those private mint collectors or commerative coins
(like the trash with Obamas picture painted on a US mint Quarter
selling for $2.00 each)


rolls of 20 ea. 1 oz silver content coins go for $18 per coin or $360 x roll

a good barter resource, as i see a 'Silver Eagle' buying a couple cartons of cigaretts or a bottle or two of Scotch/Whisky when the normal consumer products are no longer available 'off-the-shelf'

[edit on 21-2-2009 by St Udio]

To tell you the truth melting coins is a waste of time. You would be better off doing what homeless people do and start stripping down discarded copper wire. When the shtf happens I doubt that will be a viable currency either.
There is still going to be an infrastructure in place no matter what.
and it might take a while to get up and running but it will happen. It won't be the end of the world.Be a good boy or girl scout and prepare for you BASIC needs. BE positive and surround yourself with people that are realistic and positive. You can't eat gold and silver so don't offer it to me. Most of all educate yourself. Connect