just wondering which pennies and nickels i should be keeping. i read part of an article about pennies saying that the 83 and earlier pennies were copper and actually worth more than 1 cent. i come across quite a few 64' nickels but, they have no silver content so i usually spend them. all other coins that are 64 and previous i keep for silver content but, i'm not sure about the pennies and nickels. any input would be appreciated and if you could tell me which other coins to keep i'd be greatly appreciated. thank you.
I would recomend a red book, it will have allot of information to best help you. War Nickels are a good start.
pennys i save are weatbacks and older nickles are pre 1960 other ppl keep all the S mint marks and error coins also low mintage coins
i've got a few wheat backs but, what other years should i hoard :yes:. also, are there any nickels containg silver? thanks for the fast responses guys
All pennies made before 1982 are 95% copper, so those are the ones you heard about being worth more than a penny. Some of them from 1982 are copper, which can be determined with a scale, or the "ping test" on a hard counter. The only nickels that contained silver are the war time nickels made between 1942 and 1945. They are designated by a large mintmark above the Monticello, as there are 1942 nickels that are not silver. Some people will keep pre 1960 nickels, they don't really have much value unless it's a low mintage, which is where that red book comes in handy. Some other keep all nickels for the base metal value, but thats another discussion Hope that helps a little Red Book options: http://www.amazon.com/2012-Guide-United-States-Coins/dp/0794833500 http://www.whitmanbooks.com/Default.aspx?Page=81&ProductID=0794833497 You can also get older years of the Red Book for less money, it's up to you
If you are asking from a numismatic point of view then you have received some good advice already. If you are asking strictly from a hoarders point of view then there are people who save pre 1982 cents and all US nickels strictly for the metal content (see coinflation.com). People who do this also save 1982 pennies because some are 95% copper (old) and some are copper plated zinc (new); the difference can be determined by weight. If you chose to do this you will have people tell you that you are crazy or stupid and then you will have people tell you that you are really smart, this is something you kind of have to determine for yourself. There is a limited market for copper cents because for the most part only 1 in 3 cents in circulation are copper although they are still plentiful. There is almost no market for nickels because they are mostly all the same and require no searching to hoard for metal content. You will be told that if you are looking for an investment then there are plenty of other options that will provide better returns, which I believe to be true. But if you are hoarder like me then it can be a fun and inexpensive hobby (as long you live near a bank or two) especially if you like to sort things.
