Best way to Dispose of Plated Cents

I just uncovered a hoard of plated cents, from a collection that dates to the 60s. I strongly suspect that they are probably full of mercury.

What is the best way to dispose of them? Obviously, I don't want to put them into circulation - I don't want to confuse anyone or make them think that it's valuable when it isn't.

Obviously, its probably a bad idea to throw them in the trash, as well.

So, how would you dispose of this lot?

 

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Nothing occurs to me at the moment, but let me think...

 

Put them in marked 2x2's and hand them out to young collectors, donate them to a coin club to use for education purposes.

 

Throw them into Mt. Doom - keep them out of Sauron's hands!!!! I wouldn't worry about them being particularly dangerous unless someone is going to swallow the lot. I like beaver's idea.

 

The mercury is stabilized, no?

 

I got lots of mercury in my fillings and it has never bothered meeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

 

Not sure if a nitric acid wash or a hydrochloric acid wash would help, but an experiment if you have some around.

 

That's precisely what I *do not* want to do, because I don't want them to think its something valuable. No matter how many times you tell them it's worthless, they'll see a shiny thing and think its great.

I also don't want to put it in the coinstar because then we'll inevitably have a dozen southeastern collectors asking about their pattern silver penny and how many millions its worth.

That is an idea, but I'm not sure how many clubs would want them, and I'd be afraid they'd pass them out as souvenirs.

No. The mercury can come off in your hands, which is not healthy. And putting them in the trash the mercury can leach out in the landfill, which is not good.

 

Ok. So many other metals are not good for health either. Nickel isn't good. Copper alloys contain arsenic. Aluminum is very bad. Heavy metal poisioning is very real. So nobody collects mercury dimes?

 

Fire!

 

I would just bury them in my backyard if I knew they were mercury riddled. Plus they are basically worth FV.

 

Not ones with Mercury on them... I hope you are being funny.

 

Well then you could put them in a zip lock bag, put the bag in a mason jar, put the jar in a box, put the box in a burlap bag, put the bag in a chest and then bury the chest in the middle of nowhere and then write a poem giving hints as to where the non-treasure is. It will provide hours of entertainment for someone.

 

Hahahaha! Brilliant!

 

Seriously, nitric acid would dissolve the other metals and leave just the mercury (if it is mercury). Just do it outside.

 

That's not too far off! lol

Treat them like old mercury thermometers.

https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/dontmesswithmercury/disposal_info.html

 

Target practice

 

Put the coins in a quart carton of concrete mix . shake, turn on the side to harden......when hard remove paper and have a neat looking brick or paperweight.

 

Hell, I'd just set them out in the trash along with expired batteries......