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 Replies: 16 / Views: 16,968 |
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New Member
United States
1 Posts |
I promise I'm not actually melting coins. I'm writing a mystery and needed advice (this definitely isn't one of the things I can just experiment with lol) At one point, of the characters melts a metal donation box filled with coins. The year it happens in the story is 2004 if that makes a difference. My apologies if this isn't allowed, thank you all for your help.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2843 Posts |
It depends on the composition of the coins. Silver coins will melt at a different temperature than copper-nickel coins. Simply put, this is not a coin question as much as it is a metal question.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19115 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Big Silver calls it.  to the CCF! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5661 Posts |
Nickels, dimes, and quarters in circulation in 2004 are almost all cupronickel (about 75% copper, 25% nickel) and having a melting point of around 2140 degrees F. Pennies dated after 1982 are zinc and melt at 780 degrees F.
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
to the Community! |
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Rest in Peace
United States
10625 Posts |
Quote:
Pennies dated after 1982 are zinc and melt at 780 degrees F And rot at room temperature....  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6507 Posts |
Just depends whats the coin is made of  |
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Moderator
United States
34393 Posts |
@swan, first welcome to CCF. Second, that is a fun little plot element. Depending on how technical your writing is, you could have it be hot enough to melt some coins, but not others.  "If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5661 Posts |
Quote:
And rot at room temperature...  Edited by Zurie
11/05/2021 4:28 pm
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
And rot at room temperature....  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
All alloys, which include most coins, have a temperature 'paste range', where one of the metals in the alloy will have melting point lower than another.
The 'paste range' is the difference between the highest and lowest melting points of each metal in the alloy, where one metal is liquid (lowest MP) and another still solid (highest MP
The paste range of brass, which is a solid metallic solution of zinc and copper at room temperature, is between 419 Deg.C and 1063 deg.C. The physical paste characteristics depend on the proportion of the metals that make up the alloy.
Dross normally (depending on the metals involved), forms on the surface of the melt.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5393 Posts |
Best of all are the chocolate coins . They melt in your mouth at body temperature ..YUMMY |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
Please melt all the zinc Lincolns you can in the story.
Mix coins with magnesium, it burns hot.
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Moderator
United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
Please melt all the zinc Lincolns you can in the story. Mix coins with magnesium, it burns hot.  |
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Moderator
United States
15391 Posts |
Some funny replies to welcome our newest contributor the the CCF. Quote:
the characters melts a metal donation box Ahh - there is your missing answer Mr. Mystery writing man. You need to melt the box first before you can melt the coins. Let's assume you plan your plot so that the melting character has a standard carbon steel container holding the coins. Then the melter needs about 2500F just to get past the box. Then you can get to those pesky Cu-Ni nickels, dimes and quarters. Hoping that your plot has all the Zinc Lincoln cents melted into an unidentifiable mass inside the box - just as they appear from everyday rot. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 16,968 |
Posted 11/05/2021 12:59 pm
