A hundred dollar box of nickels weighs a TON.

jhusman

I went to the bank to pick up a hundred dollar box of nickels today so I could set myself some of our circulating bullion coins aside before the composition is changed. Man, that box is heavy!

Strangely, though, the bank manager didn't want to sell me the box - told me that they had to keep them in the vaults for "commercial" customers. He very seriously wanted to charge me $3.00 extra for the box. I couldn't believe it, and told him that if he couldn't show me a policy in writing showing me the charge that I would most certainly take my payment in nickels. He sputtered a bit and tried to intimidate me into giving up my clever plan. I held out, and now I have a box on my desk that weighs a LOT and is worth $123 in metal.

Step one: buy nickels at face value
Step two: ?????
Step three: profit

I also got what looks like a mint wrapped roll of 2000 Sacajaweas (with the yellow wrapper). I'm torn on wether to open it or just keep it sealed.

STONE

They weigh about 30lbs I think.

Geoman

Have fun searching through the box!

However, I am curious as to your Step two. How do you believe you will go from Step one to Step three? True the metal is worth about $123, but to actually get the metal out (ie: refine it) would cost a lot more than the box of nickels. It just isn't economic to melt down copper cents or nickels for their metals. What is your plan?

holeinone1972

Step 2 wait until the metal is worth substantially more and then melt them down. LOL

I will see you in about 150 years. LOL

jhusman

The 3 step plan is a reference from a South Park episode.

I don't really have a plan - I just wanted a box of nickels.

Cgb

<< <i>The 3 step plan is a reference from a South Park episode.

I don't really have a plan - I just wanted a box of nickels. >>



Who DOESN'T want a box of nickels?

Step 1: Collect Nickels. Step 2: ??? Step 3: Profit!

Smittys

Just to let you know, banks do have the right to limit how many rolls of coinage a person can get
and if you buy the box they may charge the shipping they get charged.
our bank charged 40.00 per box of state quarters ordered,
It's not good business but they do have the right to limit, they
do have more than one customer to please and supply.
Think about it you or walmart to get rolls

jhusman

I might actually look for an inexpensive album and see how many slots I can fill.

Is there a cheaper Dansco type (sliding window) album out there? I dont' want to do Whitman blue books.

jhusman

I guess I could understand if I backed the truck up to the bank to fill up the bed with nickel boxes, but coming into a bank I do regular business with and asking for a single box shouldn't (I don't think anyway) cause a huge controversy.

Smittys

<< <i>I guess I could understand if I backed the truck up to the bank to fill up the bed with nickel boxes, but coming into a bank I do regular business with and asking for a single box shouldn't (I don't think anyway) cause a huge controversy. >>



How many boxes of nickels do you think they have on hand?
My one bank has maybe one , maybe two (small bank), but they did order my nickels for free....

jhusman

I have no idea how many they have on hand - I do know that my account there has many thousands of dollars in it. If'n I want me some nickels, then I should be able to get me some nickels.

FLBuffaloHunter

Try ordering a $1,000 bag of halves, now that is heavy.

clarkbar04

<< <i>The 3 step plan is a reference from a South Park episode.
>>



UNDERWEAR GNOME!!!

bluespaceant

CoinHusker

I thought it was illegal to melt nickels?

USAToday article

LindeDad

<< <i>I thought it was illegal to melt nickels? >>



How much does the fuel cost to heat them to melting?
And who is going to buy your lump of nickel?

FLBuffaloHunter

Actually, 75% of a Nickel is copper. The remaining 25% is nickel.

tightbudget

Not to me. I carry them out with a hand. Try carrying 5 half dollar boxes at once. Now THAT'S heavy.

jhusman

I could certainly carry them, and I did carry them out by myself just fine. I was just surprised at the weight.

GullibleNewb

<< <i>

<< <i>I thought it was illegal to melt nickels? >>



How much does the fuel cost to heat them to melting?
And who is going to buy your lump of nickel? >>



It is currently illegal to melt nickels and cents. Look at the bigger picture, ten or twenty or fifty years down the road. I believe the current composition of the nickel makes it possible that it can be used directly in certain processes. Pre-1982 Lincolns will be easy to sell, and profitable if you live right by a major metal recycler, like I do. I've got a five gallon bucket of them sitting right here. Besides, the actual metal value won't be as important as the wave of hype when they discontinue the coinage, and then legalize the melting eventually. A person won't get rich doing it, but it certainly might be fun for a bit. Maybe I'll keep it as a gift for a grandchild some day.

Overdate

Step one: buy nickels at face value
Step two: Discover they are all uncirculated 1916 Doubled Dies.
Step three: profit!!

Baley

I've got a box of 2005 buffalos currently being used as a doorstop; good to know it's appreciating in metal value while being useful.

ModernCrapNut

If there are rolls of 2007 nickels in there, you might make a little on ebay since not many seem to be in circulation.

richbeat

To make it truly worthwhile, you may have to sit on them for a good while. Everything looks as though, long term, nickel and copper will continue to go up. And who says they have to be sold to a metal recycler? You may be able to sell them to a dealer, much like junk silver, for x amount above face.

Type2

I look for the 2007-P/D will be a good one to have soon.

tightbudget

<< <i>Step one: buy nickels at face value
Step two: Discover they are all uncirculated 1916 Doubled Dies.
Step three: profit!! >>



That'd be awesome! But wouldn't that also kill the market for them?

joefro

<< <i> held out, and now I have a box on my desk that weighs a LOT and is worth $123 in metal.

Step one: buy nickels at face value
Step two: ?????
Step three: profit

>>



Thats nothing. When the Monticello nickels were out I was buying multiple $100 boxes of them and flipping them on eBay for $150 within a week. Easiest money I have ever made. With USPS' special boxes that you can ship any weight in it was less than $10 to ship them. I must have sold close to $10,000 worth of nickels that year. Still have a couple laying around.

And yes, they do weigh a ton.

Overdate

<< Step one: buy nickels at face value
Step two: Discover they are all uncirculated 1916 Doubled Dies.
Step three: profit!! >>

That'd be awesome! But wouldn't that also kill the market for them?


They'd still be scarcer than the 1955 doubled die cent.

rec78

Strangely, though, the bank manager didn't want to sell me the box - told me that they had to keep them in the vaults for "commercial" customers
Simply tell the manager that you are a "commercial" customer.-----Works for me.

jhusman

Well, I'm a good way through the box, and so far the oldest I've found is one buffalo nickel, and one from 1949. Beyond that, LOTS of 1964, most of a roll of 2007 D, a few 2007 P, and half a roll each of the 2005 buffalo in P and D.

Nothing else too great, but I am enjoying myself.

How does one order a box of "new" coins from a bank - can they take requests? I wouldn't mind salting away a box of 2007 coins. Does anyone know how, or if they can?

Type2

That is a hard one, The mint is not making many. So the banks are the only ones geting them and they can't order just nickels from a year they order and if they get new ones then you get new ones. But most of the time you get circulated, If I see then giving out new ones I ask for them just keep looking at the circulated rolls and keep the 2007 it will be a good hold card. I'am doing it and keeping all the Full steeps and some of the nice none F/S but that is just me.

anablep

I'm surprised you've only found 1 pre-1960 Jeffy and 1 Buff in all those rolls.

I just looked through about 30 rolls of nickels over the last week or so and found ~20 pre-1960 nickels, mostly 1941.

Once in a while I'll find an MS pre-1960 and many times a 1938 or 1939 will appear. Not this time though.

1964s are all over the place still. At least 3-4 per roll.

I've found a half roll of Buffaloes once and a half roll of silver war nicks another time.

Keep looking, you never know what you may come across.

Good luck and keep us updated.

jhusman

No silver whatsoever. I did find some other older coins, and I'll post a list soon.

jhusman

Final results for those interested;

5 nickels 1940 through 1949. none silver

1 Canadian nickel 1986

2 buffalo nickels 1 1928, 1 no date

60 2007

50 2005

1 2006 enough off center to spot with the naked eye.

All in all, a fun roll search. Now I have to figure out how to get a complete box of one date to look through, though I may do a mixed box again.

GritsMan

Thanks for posting your results. I think a lot of us are interested. What part of the country are you in? I'm in Montana and my results are a little better than yours, but not as good as some people's on this forum. I tend to get about 1 or 2 1940s nickels for every $20 worth I search for. Oddly, the 1950s nickels seem a little tougher. I've looked through about $400 worth of nickels in the past six months and haven't even found a 1959 P yet. No Wartime nickels either, but have found a lot of nice S dates, which may be more common out West than in the East (Amazing, after 60 years, that they haven't had total dispersal!). Have also found one 1938 and 3 1939s, though I gather from this forum, that that is not so uncommon. Still a thrill! And your buffaloes were a great score!

Keep searching!

Sneed

coinpage

Step two: Amuse yourself:



War nickels found in viriginia

jhusman

I am in Dallas, TX.

I did find one 1942 type 1. There were a few 1950's but more than the 1940's.

2 complete rolls of 1964.

GritsMan

<< <i>I am in Dallas, TX.

I did find one 1942 type 1. There were a few 1950's but more than the 1940's.

2 complete rolls of 1964. >>



See, I think the rural areas are better for roll searching. Even here in Missoula, it's not as good as if I go out to some locally-owned bank in the country. I would think someplace like rural Kansas or rural Mississippi would be sweet pickings.

jhusman

True, but you might have more coming through the banks in the city. I'm sure we go through a lot of change 'round here.

They probably both have advantages, but the rolls all come from the same places. I will make a run to a rurual bank in the future and compare - I'll run out to Jefferson TX or someplace.

ElKevvo

I live in the county next to Dallas and have not had too good of results searching rolls also. I stopped doing because for the hassle and I was not finding much. The banks would always have to order the coins and then be less than enthusiactic taking them back. I can understand that a bit, what is a branch gonna do with 500.00 of Kennedys? No one really wants them so back to the main branch they go to be sent in, re weighed and re rolled.

Good finds...sort of makes me want to start looking again!

K