say you wanted to make your own silver ingots...

mozeppa

and you have about $53,654.70 in junk face value silver (random amount )

how do you melt it down and separate it so that you end up with .999 silver and what other alloys that may have been used.

AUandAG

Send it out to a company that specializes in just that.
Home smelting can be quite dangerous. An assayer
can be of great help here. Just think of the temperatures
required to melt metals. How might you achieve that
at home....BBQ?
But, now that the FEDS have said it's not legal to melt
coinage will you be able to get it done? Does this
come under the new no melt rules enacted this month?

good luck,
bob

SilverEagles92

I would think that if you could melt it down, the different metals would separate into different levels of liquid. Kinf of like that little display with the corn syrup, oil, and water. They sit on top of each other.

DennisH

Just my 2¢ here, but...

Keep the silver as coins. Smaller and more easily dispersed sizes... plus here's no assay uncertainty about what their composition is... plus you don't have to do anything (time, cost, hassle, etc.) to keep 'em just the way they already are.

flaminio

<< <i>But, now that the FEDS have said it's not legal to melt coinage will you be able to get it done? Does this come under the new no melt rules enacted this month? >>

The "Feds" have only said it is now illegal to melt pennies and nickels. Old junk silver should still be OK to melt.

And it wasn't exactly the "Feds" who said this -- IIRC the announcement was made by the US Mint. I do not believe that the Mint has the authority to make such a proclamation. Banning the melting of pennies and nickels would take, literally, an act of Congress.

FlyingEagle

<< <i>And it wasn't exactly the "Feds" who said this -- IIRC the announcement was made by the US Mint. I do not believe that the Mint has the authority to make such a proclamation. Banning the melting of pennies and nickels would take, literally, an act of Congress. >>



The Mint does have the authority.

Vermonter

<< <i>Just my 2¢ here, but...

Keep the silver as coins. Smaller and more easily dispersed sizes... plus here's no assay uncertainty about what their composition is... plus you don't have to do anything (time, cost, hassle, etc.) to keep 'em just the way they already are. >>



I've got to agree; but if you're hell-bent then find an old vacuum cleaner motor, some charcoal, some plaster, and build your own cupola furnace:

http://www.backyardmetalcasting.com/links.html

Then do a little more research on how to actually separate the silver from whatever it's mized with... seems like a nasty process to me.

tmot99

<< <i>

<< <i>And it wasn't exactly the "Feds" who said this -- IIRC the announcement was made by the US Mint. I do not believe that the Mint has the authority to make such a proclamation. Banning the melting of pennies and nickels would take, literally, an act of Congress. >>



The Mint does have the authority. >>



Last I knew, the Mint does not make law. They have the authority to make decisions on what is on the coins and how many are issued, but they have to follow the laws set out by Congress. If you have proof otherwise, I'd like to see it. And just a document from the Mint saying they have banned this or that doesn't make it law.

BAJJERFAN

Google "silver refining".

FlyingEagle

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>And it wasn't exactly the "Feds" who said this -- IIRC the announcement was made by the US Mint. I do not believe that the Mint has the authority to make such a proclamation. Banning the melting of pennies and nickels would take, literally, an act of Congress. >>



The Mint does have the authority. >>



Last I knew, the Mint does not make law. They have the authority to make decisions on what is on the coins and how many are issued, but they have to follow the laws set out by Congress. If you have proof otherwise, I'd like to see it. And just a document from the Mint saying they have banned this or that doesn't make it law. >>



(d)(1) The Secretary (of the Treasury) may prohibit or limit the exportation, melting, or treatment of United States coins when the Secretary decides the prohibition or limitation is necessary to protect the coinage of the United States.

Text

derryb

I predict there will be a good market in Canada and Mexico for silver coins where they can be melted. Don't forget the worldwide demand for silver is increasing and eventually there will be a market in other countries for silver coins to melt. Foreign purchasers will be looking to Ebay for small orders in an effort to stay under the maximum ($100) exportation limit.

cladking

<< <i>

<< <i>

<< <i>And it wasn't exactly the "Feds" who said this -- IIRC the announcement was made by the US Mint. I do not believe that the Mint has the authority to make such a proclamation. Banning the melting of pennies and nickels would take, literally, an act of Congress. >>



The Mint does have the authority. >>



Last I knew, the Mint does not make law. They have the authority to make decisions on what is on the coins and how many are issued, but they have to follow the laws set out by Congress. If you have proof otherwise, I'd like to see it. And just a document from the Mint saying they have banned this or that doesn't make it law. >>



There are many dozens of government agencies empowered to make rules and
regulations which have the effect of law. They will put you im jail if you break any
of the hundreds of thousands of laws which they want to enforce.

Melting silver won't prove especially difficult but separating the metals will be far
more difficult. Unless you have a specific need for 900 silver it is probably unwise
to melt it. There are no laws currently being enforced in regards to the melting of
US silver coins in this country but there is a 1970 UN act which might be interpreted
to ban melting of some foreign coins.

lonelyp

I had the same thought last year. But the resale of a home made ingot would be harder than if you bought one. And you can allways sell your junk silver in coin form.

Note: I was not thinking of refining out the alloy to pure silver. Just turning many worn Mercs, and other silver coins into a single ingot of coin silver.

I certainly hope your not thinking of marking one Englhard(?spelling) Or any other type of bullion bars or rounds.

tmot99

As stated, the Secretary of the Treasury can...... NOT the US MINT. The Mint is a division or section of the Treasury, but the Director of the Mint has no authority to make this decision. I just searched the press releases out of the Treasury Department and nothing is mentioned on this issue that I could find. However, it is on the Mint website.

It sounds as if the decisions were coming from a much lower tier within the Treasury and that tier has no authority to make those mandates.

kimon1230

<< <i>As stated, the Secretary of the Treasury can...... NOT the US MINT. The Mint is a division or section of the Treasury, but the Director of the Mint has no authority to make this decision. I just searched the press releases out of the Treasury Department and nothing is mentioned on this issue that I could find. However, it is on the Mint website.

It sounds as if the decisions were coming from a much lower tier within the Treasury and that tier has no authority to make those mandates. >>


So, who's volunteering to test this in a court?

sonoranmonsoon

<< <i>Just my 2¢ here, but...

Keep the silver as coins. Smaller and more easily dispersed sizes... plus here's no assay uncertainty about what their composition is... plus you don't have to do anything (time, cost, hassle, etc.) to keep 'em just the way they already are. >>



I had a boss once who would always say the same thing to me when I thought I had a great idea.......keep it simple, stupid.