Melting & Selling Laws

Griffin1217

Hi all.
I know that melting down coins and selling their raw materials is illegal, but making things (i.e. jewelry) out of them is not. Is it legal to modify the raw materials and sell that? I bring this up because someone mentioned the "melt value" of a 1964 quarter in one of my posts. Thanks.

jmlanzaf

@Griffin1217 said:
Hi all.
I know that melting down coins and selling their raw materials is illegal, but making things (i.e. jewelry) out of them is not. Is it legal to modify the raw materials and sell that? I bring this up because someone mentioned the "melt value" of a 1964 quarter in one of my posts. Thanks.

People always refer to the "melt value" but that's just the bullion value. It doesn't literally mean they are melting the coins.

MsMorrisine

Actually it’s only illegal to melt cents and nickels except war nickels

There are those penny elongating matching that press a design from a die onto the coin. The reason these are allowed is because of the amount of coins taken from circulation is small. Where the cutoff is who knows. If you have an art project, I’m inclined to say you’re ok.

Melt value for the quarter is just that. Since it is 90% silver and even that is in high demand, someone could send it to the refiner, but it’s better to sell it as is