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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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You would need a method to remove the nickel from the nickel/copper alloy a penny is made from. I don't know of any easy method. Nickel/copper? As for separating the copper and zinc, melt them and push the temperature up close to the boiling point of copper 2562 F or possibly even boil it a bit. Zinc boils at 1180 F and most of the zinc should rapidly boil off. Quote:
so is it illegal to put a penny in one of those machines that flatten it out and put a design on it? Not as long as it doesn't melt it. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8517 Posts |
Pennies are dang heavy. I have a 5 gallon bucket a little more than half full. I can no longer use the handle to lift it, would just pull off. It's getting to a point where I need to find its permanent spot in the house, lol.
Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Valued Member
United States
410 Posts |
@Condor: I was thinking nickels not pennies. Still, getting a large quantity of pennies up to 2500 F isn't easy in my mind. I wonder how much the fuel required to melt a penny costs.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2295 Posts |
And I would doubt there would be a cent shortage, if it was legal to melt copper cents, since there are so many billions of zincolns around. They don't circulate, so that is why they have to mint billions each year. They are used once and then stuck in a jar at home. And with all of the copper cent hoarders, it is making matters worse.
The Mint just needs to stop making the cent and withdraw them from circulation and recycle them.
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Valued Member
Canada
178 Posts |
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The Mint just needs to stop making the cent and withdraw them from circulation and recycle them. Just like we just did in Canada, last ones were made about a month ago. We'll have to see how it works out. |
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Moderator
 United States
189142 Posts |
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We'll have to see how it works out. I am sure it will work out just fine. |
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
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"so is it illegal to put a penny in one of those machines that flatten it out and put a design on it?" I had actually never thought of that. Because the law I think reads that it is illegal to intentionally disfigure money to the point where it can no longer be used... and I think it would not be able to be spent at that point? Maybe I am wrong, I am not a lawyer (much t my parents disappointment, LOL). |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1247 Posts |
I ask because I find these machines in all the tourist attractions.. you pay a quarter, put a Pennie in then crank the slot and it flattens out the penny and puts some design on it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2295 Posts |
It is not illegal to create the elongated cents. There is even a national club on it.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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Because the law I think reads that it is illegal to intentionally disfigure money to the point where it can no longer be used No the law states that you can't mutilate the CURRENCY in such a way that it is unfit for reissue. And coins are NOT included in the definition of currency. The laws deliberately keep the laws dealing with coins separate from those dealing with currency. The only laws dealing with the mutilation of coinage make it a criminal offense only if the mutilation is done with the intent to defraud. No fraudulent intent, no offense. Edited by Conder101
05/25/2012 10:16 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1247 Posts |
so how does that work with melting copper?
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Moderator
United States
189142 Posts |
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so how does that work with melting copper? There is a specific and separate law preventing the melting of cents and nickels. |
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
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No the law states that you can't mutilate the CURRENCY in such a way that it is unfit for reissue. And coins are NOT included in the definition of currency. The laws deliberately keep the laws dealing with coins separate from those dealing with currency.
The only laws dealing with the mutilation of coinage make it a criminal offense only if the mutilation is done with the intent to defraud. No fraudulent intent, no offense. Thanks for the info! =) I only have a vague understanding of the laws, and that is through 3rd hand accounts. Never had a chance to actually go look up the 'letter of the law', even though it is something that is an interest to me (like flag laws). |
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Valued Member
United States
236 Posts |
As far as not being able to tell what copper was melted down. I worked for a company that used a large quantity of copper for bus bars to power manufacturing equipment. We had an employee who was stealing scrap copper and was selling it to the local scrap yard. He got busted because the copper had a signature to its metallic composition. The cops picked the guy up at work and was arrested and fired for grand theft.
I assume us cents would also have such a signature.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8517 Posts |
I have no doubt they do.
Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Posted 05/24/2012 11:10 am
