Well, right now as a matter of fact.
Apparently, metal prices have soared in recent months. This has caused the raw metals in those coins in your pocket more valuable than the face value of the coins themselves.
The metal value of a penny is now at 1.12 cents, while a nickel is valued at a whopping 6.99 cents. An amazing turn of events, I think.
Before you entrepreneurs out there start getting any ideas out there, you should probably be made aware of this. The government has already stepped in to outlaw the melting down of currency for the express purpose of selling the raw materials. We’re not talking about a slap on the wrist either. Five years in the hole and $10,000 fine.
Of course, I’m wondering how they would know? I’m no metallurgist or anything, but once something is melted, doesn’t it lose all resemblance to what it was before? I don’t have a metal smelter in my apartment to test this theory out, but I would think if you melted a penny and say, shaped it into a small duck shape or something, could you tell it was once a penny? Say, you have a few solid bars of copper and zinc. You take them to you local neighborhood raw metal dealer (?) to sell them, are they going to say, “I think these used to be COINS! Call the feds!”?
I guess this is a case of laws only stop the honest criminals…
WOW! I’m RICH RICH RICH….