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Melting Coins Now Illegal In the U.S.
A number of readers have noted the action by the U.S. Mint to outlaw the melting down or bulk export of coins. This has come about because the value of the precious metals contained in coins now exceeds their face value.
The Mint would rather not have to replace pennies (at a cost of 1.73 cents per) or nickels (at 8.74 cents). The expectation is that Congress will mandate new compositions for some U.S. coins in 2007.
If this keeps up, .002 cents really will = $.002
(Sorry, but it had to be said...)
Can I continue to light my cigars with hundreds?
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They stopped making em out of copper before the 50's (I forget exactly when its finals week XD)
they make them out of an electroplated nickel alloy now..
Dare i say it shouldn't just be oil we should be concerned about running out?
JUNK METAL coins are now worth more than their face value... I think this is a sign that asteroid mining could be feasible (the average nickel iron monster is worth several trillian.. not counting any incidental precious metals)
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A worthless coin anyway.
Dada21 will be along to spout something about precious metals, followed at 11 by a film.
Only three things are certain; death, taxes, and apocryphal quotations - Ben Franklin.
As much as I can understand why they do not want people melting down these coins, how much is the metal really worth in it's "raw" form unrefined?
My second question is how much would it cost to refine these metals to make them worth the most? Copper prices are sky high right now but a lump of melted pennies probably wouldn't be able to be sold as a "copper" since there are a number of other metals involved. Is this something that can really be profitable?
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It might just be more feasible to get rid of pennies altogether.
l
here is an article i have found to be particularly illuminating.
http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a981009a.htm
I wonder how much of this is because of "increasing value of precious metals" and how much is "The devaluing of the American dollar" (I recognize that from the perspective of Americans this would be the same thing); if it is based on the dollars value, why wouldn't you attempt to correct the problem with the dollar (by not running a 1/2 trillion dollar deficit) rather than finding cheaper materials?
Since they only penalty is a fine, can you pay the fine out of the money you made selling the metal from the melted down coins?
Apology to Ubuntu forum.
And for folks who'll ask, replacing cash with electronic transactions isn't the answer. I for one like the anonymity of cash and the fact that I'm carrying a physical object of known value that can handle some pretty heavy abuse before becoming worthless.
-b.
How can the US Mint make something illegal, only Congress has the power to pass laws. Someone please explain.
I'm too busy straining the gold out of seawater and reclaiming the platinum out of old catalytic converters to mess with melting down pennies and nickels...
Insisting on "correct" English is like saying that there is only one, definitive recipe for chili.
Perhaps it's time to start seriously thinking about withdrawing the penny from circulation. You can't buy anything with a penny anymore. You only really use them for two reasons:
1. Stores like the $X.99 price point, because it subtly makes people think they're paying $X rather than $X+1. $X.95 is also popular, and could work with only nickels.
2. Sales tax is based on percentage, so even if you have a round price like $1.00, you may end up with something like $1.07.
OK, 3 reasons if you're paying for gas with cash. But note that gas stations already advertise prices to the thousandth of a dollar -- as far as I know, the US has never actually minted a mil -- and they already get rounded up to the nearest penny. I'm sure gas stations would be quite happy to round to the nearest nickel instead.
Of course, given how many transactions are electronic these days, withdrawing the penny wouldn't necessarily alter credit or debit transactions.
Take them out of circulation, and then the Mint can do whatever they like with the alloys. Or if they're smart, they'll use alloys for a $1 coin and stop making the $1 bill.
Under what authority can the US Mint create new law? The US Mint, the Secret Service and the Treasury are all in the enforcement, not the legislative branch.
Some AC said it was illegal to mutilate or deface paper money. Uh, no, it's not. It's also not illegal to cut up a US coin in some artistic fashion and sell it for a higher amount; this is done all the time. In terms of defacement, you can't stick a picture of Kennedy on a quarter and try to redeem it as a half-dollar, and the same goes for gluing a "20" on the corner of a one-dollar bill. That's simple fraud, in this case called counterfeiting.
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Sounds like somebody needs a hug. C'mere, big guy.
Why yes, I AM a rocket scientist!
I always thought that the mint should make all coins out of radioactive waste. It would solve the problem of nuclear waste disposal. It would encourage consumers to spend money - quickly. This would help the economy. And it would definitely discourage hoarding of currency.
[Insert pithy quote here]
How hard is it to realize that if it costs your more than 1 cent (or 5 cents) to make something worth 1 cent (or 5 cents), then don't make it. Basic enconomics Duh, if the pennies and nickels are worth more as materials than they are as currency then we SHOULD melt them down and use those materials for some better purpose and find some cheaper material to make our coins.
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It isn't just a decrease in the value of a dollar, it's also an increase in the value of the metals.
I'm sorry and this isn't personal but I'm amazed at how little financial acumen we collectively have. This is the financial equivalent of being surprised that 40% of all sick days are taken on Monday and Friday.
The dollar being worth less and things costing more are exactly the same phenomenon. The value of the metals did not inherently increase. Were this lmited to a specific metal or commodity I would believe it, but it is very broad based and therefore can be traced to a monetary phenomenon (record low interest rates, loose lending practices, and increased consumer/government debt).
The dollar being worth less and things costing more are exactly the same phenomenon. The value of the metals did not inherently increase.
The value of metals DID increase relative to other commodities. So the parent post is right to say that it is a combination of a general decline in the value of the Dollar and an increase in the price of Zinc and Copper.
I like my beverages with warning labels!