Does "melt value" only consider the amount of each metal in a coin, and their individual nominal values, or does it also take into consideration the cost of processing the alloyed coinage to separate the gold/silver/copper/nickel from the other alloys in a coin, or any hunk of metal? I have no idea of the cost of the "separation" processes but it might be 5-50% of the nominal value of each component. They don't just float into separate layers when melted.
Melt value does not take into consideration the cost of separating the (coin metal) alloy into the individual components. Quite a few years ago, I called every reclamation center in the state of Florida to get quotes on what they paid for alloyed copper, and nearly all of them quoted prices of about 25% of the price paid for Grade A (pure) copper. Some reclamation centers would not even accept alloyed copper. To this day, there are still people who refuse to believe this. So, I just wish them good luck and hope they don't lose too much when they cash in their tons of copper pennies.
For a 90% silver half dollar for instance, I believe only the silver is valued. The other base metals are not.
Several years ago on another forum, one member stated that they took copper tubing and filled it full of pre 1982 cents. They sealed/welded shut both ends and sold it. The reclamation center never said a word. Not an all the time project, just when they had some extra scrap tubing laying around. They must have been a plumber.
Just an FYI, you can check the daily melt value for silver here: https://www.coinflation.com/silver_coin_values.html
"Several years ago on another forum, one member stated that they took copper tubing and filled it full of pre 1982 cents. They sealed/welded shut both ends and sold it. The reclamation center never said a word. Not an all the time project, just when they had some extra scrap tubing laying around. They must have been a plumber." Not particularly ethical TO DO to the scrapyard as has been stated before, 'pennies' are NOT near 100% copper. What would be the ethical difference if you filled a copper pipe with lead? One might think a yard might get suspicious if done too often.
