For those who can't afford 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.

and how would the average person melt down these coins?

If change is going to be worth more then the dollar, then I am RICH! that would be some irony huh?

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

TheWelder

Present compositions of coins.





TheWelder

[edit on 21-2-2009 by TheWelder]

[edit on 21-2-2009 by TheWelder]

I beleive it is actually illegal to melt down coins though.

reply to post by asmeone2

Yes it is illegal, punishable by death for mint employees!

TheWelder

long term coins are more useful for converting into arrow heads than anything else.

Good thead.

Good information for people that did not know.

Silver is still at a relative price compared to gold but if you can not afford it then look at other items of value like Whiskey, Wines, Food seeds, etc.

Gold and silver are great but everything has value, hey even being able to make good rope, or having skills to barter with like first aid or medical abilities.

They're a little noisy for stealth but a good handful in a sock would give someone a bit of a shock.

Now that's change I can believe in.

so what about just collecting as many quarters as you can and using those to buy gold and silver.

highest face value, low actual value, in return buy gold with it

got quarters saved? use them for gold

WASHINGTON — People who melt pennies or nickels to profit from the jump in metals prices could face jail time and pay thousands of dollars in fines, according to new rules out Thursday.

Soaring metals prices mean that the value of the metal in pennies and nickels exceeds the face value of the coins. Based on current metals prices, the value of the metal in a nickel is now 6.99 cents, while the penny's metal is worth 1.12 cents, according to the U.S. Mint.

USA Today December '06

Not like any law has ever stopped any crime though.