Current “Melt” Values of U.S. Coinage.

[Arizona Highlander]

Amazing website with the current “melt” values of U.S. coinage.

http://www.coinflation.com/

Examples:

The older (bronze) pennies have a current melt value of about 2.3 cents each (the newer zinc pennies are only worth 0.9 cents - hang on to those old COPPER pennies)!

Current nickels have a melt value of just over 9 cents - almost double their face value!

Modern larger denomination coins (dimes, quarters, halves, etc.) aren’t worth anything near their face value, however.

Current melt value of old silver coins:

90% Dime: $1.01

90% Quarter: $2.53

90% Half: $5.07

40% Half: $2.07

Note that it’s ILLEGAL to melt U.S. coins for their scrap value - but since they’re much more practical (for survival use) in their original configuration anyway, that hardly matters.

Might want to think about grabbing nickels from your spare change, and saving them for hard times!

[surge223]

Having some 90% silver on-hand is a good idea. Most everyone knows it contains real silver.

[Ponce]

For the past two months I have been getting five briks per week from my bank, for poker playing at home :D , I think that is kind of nice to be able to give them $100.00 of paper fiat and get back $194.00 of real metal.

in the center of my living room I now have a covered "table" with junk ontop of it heheheheheheheheeh :rolleyes:

WTSHTF metal coins will hold it's value where paper fiat will be GONE.

[Kyrottimus]

Very interesting...

[Jonas Parker]

The biggest bargain on eBay right now is the silver "war nickels" which are selling well below melt value, even if you subtract the shipping before you bid. One poor fellow is selling $8.15 worth of silver for $6.98...

[OREGON FAL'ER]

Anyone know what year the pennies went from copper to zinc?

Amazing website with the current “melt” values of U.S. coinage.

http://www.coinflation.com/

Examples:

The older (bronze) pennies have a current melt value of about 2.3 cents each (the newer zinc pennies are only worth 0.9 cents - hang on to those old COPPER pennies)!

Current nickels have a melt value of just over 9 cents - almost double their face value!

Modern larger denomination coins (dimes, quarters, halves, etc.) aren’t worth anything near their face value, however.

Current melt value of old silver coins:

90% Dime: $1.01

90% Quarter: $2.53

90% Half: $5.07

40% Half: $2.07

Note that it’s ILLEGAL to melt U.S. coins for their scrap value - but since they’re much more practical (for survival use) in their original configuration anyway, that hardly matters.

Might want to think about grabbing nickels from your spare change, and saving them for hard times!

[Arizona Highlander]

As I recall, the changeover happened midway through 1982.

Meaning that SOME '82 pennies are bronze, and SOME are zinc. The only sure way to tell, I guess, is by weighing each one individually. :eek:

Personally, I just make 1982 the cutoff date. Anything '81 and earlier is worth saving. 1982 and beyond go back in the pocket for making change.

Note, however, that even zinc is now moving up in price. Current production (cheapo) zinc pennies are right now worth about 0.9 cents each in raw melt value (!).

So, if inflation continues, it's likely that even ZINC pennies will soon be worth more than their face value.

[Kyrottimus]

As I recall, the changeover happened midway through 1982.

Meaning that SOME '82 pennies are bronze, and SOME are zinc. The only sure way to tell, I guess, is by weighing each one individually. :eek:

Personally, I just make 1982 the cutoff date. Anything '81 and earlier is worth saving. 1982 and beyond go back in the pocket for making change.

Note, however, that even zinc is now moving up in price. Current production (cheapo) zinc pennies are right now worth about 0.9 cents each in raw melt value (!).

So, if inflation continues, it's likely that even ZINC pennies will soon be worth more than their face value.

+1, I just went through my "change" bin from over the past several months and found 1.3lbs of '81 or prior pennies; they are more common than you think.

If my rough calculations are correct, that means:

1.3lbs of 95% pure copper @~ $3.2 a lb = 1.235lbs of copper @ $3.95