I was just wondering how you guys sort the coppers from the zinc. I personally do it by hand but only through about $20 dollars of pennies a week. I have thought about buying a Ryedale and stepping my game up by pre ordering about $100 of cents per week. Any thoughts comments or fast ways? Even though I dont mind doing it by hand, and cheap faster ways would be great cuz the Ryedales cost around 400 dollars and up!
to answer your question, I currently sort mine by hand. I do it as a leisure activity. However, there are sorters on ebay for $40, but you have to build your own jig around the device. Or you can buy one thats already built with the jig. check out this link. http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_from=R...copper+penny+sorter&_sacat=See-All-Categories
I have 3 containers, one for copper, one for zinc, and one for 82s. I toss the coins in the appropriate buckets. Takes only a minute. Then occaisionally, once in a blue moon, I'll weigh the 82s and divide them into the zinc and copper buckets. Not a big deal.
Ya its not that I dont want to do it by hand but doing it with bigger bulk with machines seems nicer and hopefully get some rare wheaties!
Darn I didn't realize 82's were hit or miss. Usually I can tell by looking at them regardless of the date because the finish is a little browner and less cheap looking so to speak. I guess I'll have to go dig those out and separate them. I use a coin sorter for separating out the different denominations, but I look at the years by hand.
I sort the 82's with scale too. It seems that I find more copper's than zinc's. I also seem to find more large dates than small dates. I must say that it is hard for me to tell the difference between the small and large dates. I always have to pull up the website that shows the differences and then study each cent under a magnifying glass for awhile. Sorry to get off message.
There a whole forum devoted to this topic. I had no idea how many copper hoarders there were... In fact, there's so many that the feds have criminalized melting down coppers and nickels or even exporting them. The funny thing is, melting down silver and gold coins is (still) legal. Even silver nickels. The other people are right with their dates. Some 1982 Lincolns are 95% copper, but it's too time-consuming to check. Pre-'82 is safe and quick. Edit: I just got this Coinflation link that allows you to calculate the copper value of your pennies. It covers all base-metal issues.
II do keep copper per 1982 LMC Au+ sorted and also clad/zinc's to.hex I can rember in 1959 almost the same questions were asked about wheat cent.granted I was 9yr old i boy scouts.but why ask why a cent is a cent. :kewl:
After I get a coffee can full I take all my cents with other change to the bank and turn them in for Dollars, then I go to my local dealer and use it towards a gold or silver purchase.
