Copper cents (do you?)

Hello everyone I know there have been many threads on this I would just like an update on if you guys collect pre 1982 cents because of the composition? It doesn't really cost anything, do you guys throw them in a bin and forget about them? I know you collect what you like in all but do you guys think there is any sense in collecting them?

Thanks,
Jacob

 

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I used to, but got a little bored with it. I don't really think it will ever be profitable. If I ever have a lot of time on my hands, I might resume. At least it's playing with coins, not a bad thing, lol.

 

I have argued against hoarding them for years with other members here, but it is like !

Too many people refuse to believe that, because pre-82 cents are an alloy, they are only worth about 25% of the value of Grade A copper to the refiners.

It has nothing to do with the Federal law against melting them!

Chris

 

Oh yes I know that they are not grade A copper I was just wondering what % of people here do collect them I'm actually going to set up a poll.

 

I do, mostly just beacuse I like the look, feel and sound of them.

 

Yeah, a 5-gallon bucket full of copper cents sounds real cool when you accidentally drop it down the staircase.

Chris

 

Not as cool as a mason jar full of them shattering on your driveway.

 

That would be a nightmare.

 

I do, I get $25 dollar boxes of pennies and sometimes look through them in my free time.

Tip: If you do look through them by hand, have headache medicine on standby!

 

Is there any other way to do it?

 

http://www.pennysorter.com/
Although I'd never use one of these becasue it takes all the fun out of it.

 

There are many past threads on this subject, and nearly as many arguments to go along with them. However, Chris is correct in that if you're going to save them expecting someday to be handed grade A prices, you're wasting your time.

That said, I respectfully ask that you not listen to him, or listen to me, or listen to any other ordinary fool-type who may stop in to tell tales of refiners paying near grade A or even more. Please pick up the phone and call the very people you would be selling to if it was legal, but do be persistent since you're far from the first to think of such a thing. Sooner or later you'll get one who will speak to you and give an idea of what he'd pay for 95%. It may be 25% like Chris said, or maybe a bit more, but what it won't be is anywhere near the prices so many like to claim, or that sadly misleading sites like coinflation quote.

The point is that if you want to save them, there's absolutely nothing wrong with it as long as you know the facts, and do it not with dreams of a future windfall, but because you enjoy it.

 

Do I hoard cents made of copper? No.

Do I collect copper cents? Yes, from 1793 to 1814 and some from 1816 to 1839.

 

Yes, as an "old collector", I love some of the beautiful copper coins that can be found in your change when sorting coins to pay for Walmart purchases. It costs nothing, and my Grand-children love their free birthday, etc. presents of little copper coin filled bags, with an occasional Indian cent, and wheat cents back to 1909. They also love the old Canadian cents to be found mixed in.

I believe it just makes cents to collect them, as I did Barber coins, and others many years ago.

JMHO

 

I did once had a small canister full of them. I took them and them thru Coin Star, I think I had $35.00 worth.
Not worth the trouble too me anymore.

 

Back during the 1970s every payday I would get $10 in cents at the local bank and sort through them for wheat backs. The remainder got re-rolled and put away. This all stopped when my first child came into this world in 1980. I still have the rolls and don't see why I should get rid of them just because someone thinks it foolish. As to their melt value being so low I would compare that to the melt value of pre-1965 junk silver in that very little actual ends up in the melting pot. Most of it is bought and sold by people who for one reason or another wish to have silver exposure using an easily distinguished medium.

 

Have around $150.00 worth of copper cents now and counting always look in my change for them. When my daughters father in law dies he had a HUGE jar of cents. He worked at a bank and every day would dump his cents into this jar. When he dies my daughter was going to dump them into a coin counter I told her don't do that I will pay you face value for them. Anyway they were all almost uncirculated got around $90.00 worth of them mainly 1970 and 1980 some 60's that was some years back but still have them.

 

Yes, I collect (almost solely) copper Cents. Some were even minted in the United States. But not many.

 

Cheaply $200-250 for a $50 sack of wheats. the extra $50 if its not all 50'sand 40's.