Copper Stackers Interest Group
- Thread starter Cind3r
- Start date
I have mixed feelings about this...
It is also true that for a while the cost of the metals in 5 cent coins was pretty much close to the melt value so I was considered stacking 5 cent coins. However, refining the copper or nickle out of the coins is not a trivial matter and the expense would make it unfeasible. That particular alloy is just one of many cupro-nickle alloys and doesn't seem to have a lot of other uses outside of coins. I am sure when the coins are replaced with a cheaper metal or just taken out of circulation the mint will be able to melt them down to make different coins but beyond that I can't think of anyone who would want that type of alloy.
Over in the USA they have made it illegal to melt down copper cents to sell, nothing to stop the Australians trying that as well, I doubt it would be successful as you can make a smelter in your backyard and use your barbecue gas to run it.
I know that junk silver coins are valued according to their silver content, and the cost of the other metals is not usually included in the price. So pretty much in a 50% silver predecimal coin you are getting half the coin for free. There is never any consideration of refining the silver out of the coin as it is far easier to just sell it in its current form as it is for 'investment' use and not industrial use.
However copper is not usually considered to be an investment metal, its value is in its usefulness. So if you wanted to have it in a usable form, you would probably need to refine it before you sell it, unless this particular alloy is commonly used for other items.
The only market I can see for these coins would be other people speculating that the value of old bronze/brass coins is going to increase to the point where they become worthwhile investments and they want to get in before bronze/brass goes to the moon.
The other market would be refiners and they will obviously charge for the service or buy coins at a lower value. There are plenty of other sources of scrap copper with fewer impurities which would be preferable to refiners.
I looked into taking my 50% silver coins to a refiners and they wouldn't even consider taking less than 100kg in a consignment, not worth their while to process less than that and they didn't want to store it waiting for it to get to the required weight. They would however accept any number of 1966 80% 50 cent coins or gold coins.
They (Copper/Brass/Bronze coins) are tempting because they are in plentiful supply, I can lay my hands on kilos of the things with a few phonecalls, and they are cheap. However the space they take up, the smell, the likelihood of corrosion and the limited market for resale has prevented me so far. I would rather stack junk silver coins. Both have similar issues but on balance, I think the case for the silver coins is better.
On the issue of stacking pure copper I have no disagreement, I wanted a big shiny copper ingot but the premiums were ridiculous, I am stripping old wires and collecting scrap copper to make my own, one day, after I finish all my other projects..
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I buy $20 per week of 5c, 10c and 20c coins (all weights are equal to the face value, 20c is 4x the weight of the 5c etc.) Mainly for the saving aspect. I get $1040 per year that is somewhat annoying to move (59kg per year) so i just leave it. going to stop at 1000kg....probably.
I agree that the cupronickel alloy is a pain but has a few good uses. In war it will be great for shipbuilding according to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupronickel#Applications so i guess a potential demand could exist.
It is illegal to melt legal tender here to.
Section 16 of the Crimes (Currency) Act 1981 prohibits deliberate damage and destruction of Australian money without a relevant legal permit. The law covers both current Australian money and historical coins and notes. Breaking this law can lead to detention or a fine.
According to this law, even writing words on a banknote can be punished.
Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Money_burning#Australia
To be clear I do not intend to destroy the coins but will be happy to sell to someone for melt value. They are great poker chips. FULL METAL POKER.
I used to go to the bank and get a bag of coins, then noodle through them looking for ones to add to my collection.
Generally I would take out $200 in 50 cent coins at a time, and then have $196 worth of non-collectible ones stockpiling. Plus you get a free cloth bag! Which if it has the name of the bank on it, you can get about $2 for.
I have done the same with 20 cent coins, after you take out the UN, Donald Bradman, Centenary of Federation and any of the more modern commemoratives you get left with a bag of scrap metal to add to the pile. I had a big hoard of the stuff and then the metal costs dropped a bit and I wondered what I was going to do with it all. Ended up spending and banking the majority of it.
I was going through the 5 cent coins looking for 1972s and the 'SD' varieties but it was more trouble than it was worth and not a lot of fun, very few coins worth keeping and hell on your eyes! I did find 3 of the 1972s but the wins were few and far between.
Finding collectible coins is a nice side line to stacking copper coins (dropped SD etc.) but your hands sure do get dirty by the end of it.
Generally I would take out $200 in 50 cent coins at a time, and then have $196 worth of non-collectible ones stockpiling. Plus you get a free cloth bag! Which if it has the name of the bank on it, you can get about $2 for.
I have done the same with 20 cent coins, after you take out the UN, Donald Bradman, Centenary of Federation and any of the more modern commemoratives you get left with a bag of scrap metal to add to the pile. I had a big hoard of the stuff and then the metal costs dropped a bit and I wondered what I was going to do with it all. Ended up spending and banking the majority of it.
I was going through the 5 cent coins looking for 1972s and the 'SD' varieties but it was more trouble than it was worth and not a lot of fun, very few coins worth keeping and hell on your eyes! I did find 3 of the 1972s but the wins were few and far between.
Finding collectible coins is a nice side line to stacking copper coins (dropped SD etc.) but your hands sure do get dirty by the end of it.
I always search my pocket change and I keep my copper cents and nickels. I rarely find a silver dime or quarter but I check anyway, got a 62 roosevelt a couple weeks ago.
Seems like a waste of good metal to let the copper go back into the system.
I might find 2 or 3 coppers for every 10 zinc pennies I'd guess.
Seems like a waste of good metal to let the copper go back into the system.
I might find 2 or 3 coppers for every 10 zinc pennies I'd guess.
I keep seeing these floors
I think it would be time consuming and annoying to do, but I think they look great, a nice way of stacking copper without wasting space.
However all these pictures are taken just after they have been laid with fresh epoxy over the top of them.
I have yet to see any pictures of the floors after several years of constant use and wear.
I also worry about being electrocuted if a live wire touches the floor but I think this might be an irrational fear I picked up from watching a spy film as a child.
I think it would be time consuming and annoying to do, but I think they look great, a nice way of stacking copper without wasting space.
However all these pictures are taken just after they have been laid with fresh epoxy over the top of them.
I have yet to see any pictures of the floors after several years of constant use and wear.
I also worry about being electrocuted if a live wire touches the floor but I think this might be an irrational fear I picked up from watching a spy film as a child.
