I'm a prepper as well, saving pennies.

Lots of copper hoarders. Common thing. Seen a picture of large cloth bags on a skid bout 3 foot tall full of copper cents. I'd say your not alone.

 

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@V. Kurt Bellman

Sorry for your loss Kurt. It was great meeting you at the ANA.

As far as this thread goes, I am not a prepper so I don't have anything to contribute. Carpe Diem!

 

Pop

 

Damn kurt. Hug hug

 

Hey, it was MY pleasure being in your neck o' the woods at the ANA.

 

Since there are so many mine fires still going beneath PA., probably only Yellowstone with its caldera is closer to Hell.

 

All coins under a dime presently cost more than face value to produce. That includes zincolns. Currently regulations ban melting coins. It is expected that it will eventually be made illegal to melt coins. In previous depressions the cycle lets folks use credit; then cash only; then barter including precious metals and gemstones and art work; then finally barter for food and supplies. As each new thing comes online the previous things are no longer accepted. These are historical facts not predictions of the future. Anyone who wants to know what to expect can read up on what has been happening in Venezuela. In my opinion .999 silver is a lousy survival investment. Folks will not be able to make change so you can either give a worn silver nickel or dime or an entire silver dollar or eagle for your trade. Junk .900 fine US silver coins contain .72 ounce per dollar face with no premiums to buy them. .800 fine Canada coins contain .54 ounce silver per dollar face. .999 silver is spot plus a premium and each coin is one troy ounce. Zinc is considered to be a strategic metal. Therefore it will always have a value. Unfortunately it is dangerous to melt due to the fumes.

 

Sorry to hear about your father.

 

My condolences, Kurt. It's a reality check when one becomes the oldest generation because our last parent/aunt/uncle dies.

@Coinwoman, I'm not carried away but I do save pre-82s when I come across them. Yeh, I know the arguments against doing this. I do it anyway. When I hit $100 face I'll probably try to sell them locally to avoid shipping costs; someone will likely give me a few bucks over face. If not, local bank here I come.
Steve

 

So far, it feels like a huge weight around my neck. Does that ever go away?

 

Also condolences to you Kurt. I called 2016 the year of the Reaper because my ex fiance had ten people she knew pass away. Five within 90 days of ech other. It can be rough.

 

I know of only one big one about 60-70 miles north. Why? What have you heard?

 

It does, given time........

 

Lemme guess. She's your ex fiancé because you weren't up for being #11? Sorry, too hard to NOT do.

 

I don't think it goes away, you just learn to live with it, and it gets a little lighter over time.
Back to the thread:
It's one thing to have a short supply of food fresh water, and medicine for some type of natural disaster. Flood, (tainted water), earthquake, tornado, tsunami, mudslides. And be able to survive for a week or so until services and goods are back to normal.
If you are preparing to survive a nuclear war, then you need to see some Twilight Zone episodes: Time Enough at Last, Two, One More Pallbearer, The Shelter, The Old Man in the Cave (Because it is futile, and this will put it into the proper perspective.)

 

Not mine, but an old resurrected thread over on CU. If Wheaties are good for prepping, this guy is all set.
13,000 + lbs. of copper!

 

Actually..... J/K. No but let's just say, I heed the warning signs, the red flags....it wasn't pretty.

 

Wow, Kurt, I'm sorry for your loss, too. A bit behind after a weekend trip to see my own dad -- complications from a fall last year have left him just incapacitated enough to keep him from living independently and doing all the stuff he was finally going to get around to once Mom passed. We're going to try moving him back into the house in a few weeks, but wonder how well he'll fare without Mom there.

Long life can be a blessing, but not necessarily when you're the last one standing. And yes, that realization impacts my opinions about prepping.

 

Dream on. Why do you suppose that if everything collapses someone with a loaf of bread would be willing to trade it for a pile of copper, or silver, or gold? If you are the one with food, a few ounces or pounds of metal would be worthless to you, you just want to keep what food you have. You can't eat metal. If you're a farmer or baker, why would you let someone else have your food? At best you could barter with something that the food holder needs like clean water, fuel or building shelter.

Think about it. If Armageddon comes and you have a loaf of bread would you trade it for a 1909SVDB cent, or a MS69 1916 SLQ, or even a 1904 Dollar?

Hording metal of any kind is a fools exercise. If you must hoard anything, use you money to buy and stock up on non-perishables and MRE's. Get a generator and lots of fuel; you'll need these to make light and heat.

One metal might be worth having - lead. To protect what little you might have.

 

My thoughts are with you and your family, Kurt.