C'mon... How SERIOUS is copper???

[everything]

Yeah, some people use the business prospect of these copper cents, and I like that. If people are buying and hoarding, that's shaping the history of the LMC. I'm going to keep $1000 face coppers and probably stop sorting, so everybody does it a little different.

[BCD11]

Money (coins) has ALWAYS been high on my interest list. Cents were the only thing I could afford to collect in the early-mid '60's (...yeah I know, I'm an old fart) and they have stuck as my favorite.

The main reasons I sort copper are (1) it gave me the reason/opportunity to Rube Goldberg coin sorters and (2) I can sell the copper at 40%-60% over face if I want. Truth be known, refining the sorters is the most fun .

[penny pretty]

lets time travel! the year is 1965, and all dimes and above just changed from silver to clad. gee ma, the government knows best, silver is fixed at a dollar or so an ounce, and will always stay there. gee pa I think the gov knows what is best for itself. lets save the silver coins for our grandkids. the year is now 2012, whos your grandma! I know copper is not silver... NOR is it zinc. it is an affordable option, and fun to invoke greshams law even on a small scale.

[John_doe]

lets time travel! the year is 1965, and all dimes and above just changed from silver to clad. gee ma, the government knows best, silver is fixed at a dollar or so an ounce, and will always stay there. gee pa I think the gov knows what is best for itself. lets save the silver coins for our grandkids. the year is now 2012, whos your grandma! I know copper is not silver... NOR is it zinc. it is an affordable option, and fun to invoke greshams law even on a small scale.

well said. you never know where it will be in 20 years. it only took silver 15 years to spike up to 50 when the hunt brothers cornered. had you have had a nice hoard, you probably could have retired.

[adagirl]

At the end of the day, paper is paper. These days stocks are electronic, and I don't even get a piece of paper. I will take 100 pennies anytime over a dollar. Even 100 zinc pennies over the dollar. At least the zinc pennies hold a current value of about .005. Hmm, what is the value of that paper dollar (assuming no numismatic value)? It's really simple for me, 1) I enjoy it, 2) given my line of work, it provides for a much needed relatively mindless activity, 3) diversification, 4) preservation of wealth (yep, even the zincs over the dollar).

[My2Cents]

I'm sorting and hoarding them for at least that initial 'double-your-money' move... after that, it's hoard away while they're still in circulation. I don't feel that comparing the silver market to the copper market would be an apples to apples comparison, but I definitely see the price of copper doubling from where it is now, and quite possibly being $15/lb in 25 years. But even at a whopping $20/lb (whenever that is) ... only puts your ROI at 13 times.... not counting any kind of eroding of the USD. And who knows when (or even if) copper will hit that magical number of $20... because if it goes that high... imagine what gold and silver and Hell... even a loaf of bread will be.

13 x your money isn't a bad deal if you're willing to wait for it. I can think of better things to put money in, but I'm wrapped up in this too and will spend my days running my Ryedale until it doesn't spit out any copper.

[Copper]

I like its colour! and history! it's more useful then gold.

[hammerrob]

I'm sorting and hoarding them for at least that initial 'double-your-money' move... after that, it's hoard away while they're still in circulation. I don't feel that comparing the silver market to the copper market would be an apples to apples comparison, but I definitely see the price of copper doubling from where it is now, and quite possibly being $15/lb in 25 years. But even at a whopping $20/lb (whenever that is) ... only puts your ROI at 13 times.... not counting any kind of eroding of the USD. And who knows when (or even if) copper will hit that magical number of $20... because if it goes that high... imagine what gold and silver and Hell... even a loaf of bread will be.

13 x your money isn't a bad deal if you're willing to wait for it. I can think of better things to put money in, but I'm wrapped up in this too and will spend my days running my Ryedale until it doesn't spit out any copper.

13x your money is damn good for a risk free investment! There are plenty of other investment options out there that might net you a better return .... or you could lose it all. The tough part about sorting is the time you have to put in to accumulate a meaningful investment amount. But you cannot lose your original investment sorting. The only comparable 'risk-free' investments are government-guaranteed stuff FDIC insured bank deposits ... and look at the return on those!

[mickeyman]

My wife agrees it's better than me drinking.

I've taught the kids to sort (nickels, mostly) and we play coins together.