First time I got skunked roll searching- no copper coins in a $25 Fed Brick

kevinstang

The bank I get penny rolls for searching has had nothing but Fed $25 bricks the last few weeks- circulated coins, not new ones. Any way, this week was the first I received all zincolns! Not one copper and maybe a dozen 1982's at best. This box was stamped as coming from Harrisburg, PA in Dec.. I wonder will the Fed or whoever handles these coins start pulling the copper coins? I know I heard the Canadian gov't is doing it with their older coins. At least it looks like they were only looking for copper, as I did pull a 1998 Wide AM from the lot, it did cut down on the searching time as well- not having to sort the copper ones out like I usually do.

rgCoinGuy

Interesting, I think there was another thread not long ago that found the same thing, no copper.

BECOKA

I thought that with the rising price of other metals that the current cent is worth almost as much as the copper ones? Not sure why they would pull them especially with the cost of melting, splitting the metals etc...

Bochiman

That's pretty surprising, actually.
The only time I would imagine not getting even 1 copper coin would be if you got a box of completely new coins....that's happened to me before. I still took them and didn't return them to the same bank as I didn't want to seem ungrateful nor ruin any privileges.

kevinstang

<< <i>I thought that with the rising price of other metals that the current cent is worth almost as much as the copper ones? Not sure why they would pull them especially with the cost of melting, splitting the metals etc... >>



I have heard the Canadian government is doing it with all there older coins- withdrawing them and I think Coinstar is even helping. Which is something else I also noticed today while returning them- there wasn't a single Canadian cent in the lot either, while usually not that many, finding a few in these boxes is pretty common- or was in the past.

pb2y

One hundred pounds of US copper coins has a
face value of about $150 bucks. But the copper
value is closer to $400.00 dollars. Copper runners
to Canada and Mexico make an easy $50 bucks
profit per 100 pounds and the junk copper dealer does better.
Its the cheapest source of copper in the world
outside of sacking a building. The US is only country
left with a large number copper coins in circulation
and they are vanishing fast.

tightbudget

It's happened to me before on more than one occasion. I did get lucky though on one of those occasions and the only copper in the roll was a 36 wheatie. Odd...

TheRegulator

That would be pretty disheartening and very shocking. Zincolns are still worth searching but most are in terrible shape.



<< <i>...and they are vanishing fast. >>



I've been serching rolls of cents pretty hard for the last couple months and see no signs of this whatsoever. On average, copper cents probably make up about 35-40% of all the cents serached.

Mitsuecl3338

what do you do with them anyway?

You can t melt them

BBN

<< <i>what do you do with them anyway?

You can t melt them >>



put them in a sock and whack someone in the head

tightbudget

<< <i>put them in a sock and whack someone in the head >>



That's not nice.

crispy

I just got a $25 brick of cents marked Harrisburg (Jan 04 2008) yesterday from my bank and I can see cents from the 60's on some of the ends. It wouldn't surprise me if they were pulling pre-82's but mine is dated after yours so go figure.

pb2y

<< <i>On average, copper cents probably make up about 35-40% of all the cents serached. >>


Impossible. Less than 15 percent of all Lincolns
in circulation could be copper. Check the mintage numbers.
It is near 8 to 2 plated over copper not counting the hoard issue.
While your personal search may be correct, it does not come
close to the true percentage.

kevinstang

<< <i>I just got a $25 brick of cents marked Harrisburg (Jan 04 2008) yesterday from my bank and I can see cents from the 60's on some of the ends. It wouldn't surprise me if they were pulling pre-82's but mine is dated after yours so go figure. >>



Interesting, will have to see how next weeks box comes out.



<< <i>what do you do with them anyway? >>



I have been searching for wide AM's and other error coins, but putting the copper ones aside, been able to sell them online for an average of 1.6 to 1.7 cents each, Doesn't sound like much, but one of biggest shipments was turning $200 into $350 by just sorting cents- was able to fit quite a few into those flat rate mail boxes- think it was $75, I don't ask what their doing with them...

options26

Who knows maybe someones hoarding them for future melting or maybe the government passed the law so it gives them the opportunity to pull them off the market for their benefit? I read that article about the company that wanted to melt copper pennies in NN. Is there a machine that will separate these or must they do it by hand?

BBN

<< <i>...maybe the government passed the law so it gives them the opportunity to pull them off the market for their benefit? >>



this wouldn't surprise me

ArizonaJack

I am running at 17% copper since I started....have sorted about 3K so far in $25 boxes in 3 months

pb2y

Gentlemen--you confuse me. Most of the 82 cents
were copper also. The rarest of the year were the
plated zinks. But those wind up in the same melting
pot with the coppers. Copper hoarders are not particular.

ArizonaJack

<< <i>Who knows maybe someones hoarding them for future melting or maybe the government passed the law so it gives them the opportunity to pull them off the market for their benefit? I read that article about the company that wanted to melt copper pennies in NN. Is there a machine that will separate these or must they do it by hand? >>



machine isHERE

video of machine isHERE

pb2y

The copper counters will never over take tens
of thousands of eyes and fingers looking for
copper coins. Before the rip machines die---
the coppers are gone.

richbeat

Copper Lincolns are becoming more scarce. I'm not seeing as many as I used to. It wouldn't surprise me if the Fed is pulling them out of circulation, but also individuals are putting them back. I'm saving the pre-1982's and the 1982 coppers whenever I get them in change. If you have any interest in saving them, I'd be doing it now.

ArizonaJack

They will eventually become the new " wheaties " and there will be some of us with buckets of them at face value........

pb2y

<< <i>They will eventually become the new " wheaties " and there will be some of us with buckets of them at face value........ >>


The old coppers will never again be worth less than face value.