Realcent.org

Based on the latest coin production figures, the U.S. Mint delivered 975.59 million coins for circulation in June. The monthly level is the highest since before the Great Recession. The production pace last month was 19.0% quicker than the previous one and 8.0% faster than last year’s monthly record when the U.S. Mint delivered 903.06 million coins in June 2011.

Lincoln cents accounted for 64.7% of the U.S. Mint’s entire monthly production.

I've said this before and I will say this again. The employees and the Director at the US Mint wants to keep their jobs and budget intact. So, do I think the Mint is all of a sudden going to stop making pennies? Not a chance, but I do think they will be will forced to change the metal content on both the nickel and penny sooner rather than later.

Through the first half of 2012, circulating coin production reached 4,817,550,000 coins. That is a 16.8% increase over the 4,124,010,000 billion minted through the first half of 2011. The current pace would place this year’s annual coin production level above 9.6 billion coins.

Source: http://www.coinnews.net/2012/07/17/us-c ... f-of-2012/

For more go to: 2012 Circulating Coin Production (in millions) January 2012 through June 2012 http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/co ... #starthere

I agree steel nickel and cent to start off with

Copper Catcher wrote:Based on the latest coin production figures, the U.S. Mint delivered 975.59 million coins for circulation in June. The monthly level is the highest since before the Great Recession. The production pace last month was 19.0% quicker than the previous one and 8.0% faster than last year’s monthly record when the U.S. Mint delivered 903.06 million coins in June 2011.

Lincoln cents accounted for 64.7% of the U.S. Mint’s entire monthly production.

I've said this before and I will say this again. The employees and the Director at the US Mint wants to keep their jobs and budget intact. So, do I think the Mint is all of a sudden going to stop making pennies? Not a chance, but I do think they will be will forced to change the metal content on both the nickel and penny sooner rather than later.

Through the first half of 2012, circulating coin production reached 4,817,550,000 coins. That is a 16.8% increase over the 4,124,010,000 billion minted through the first half of 2011. The current pace would place this year’s annual coin production level above 9.6 billion coins.

Source: http://www.coinnews.net/2012/07/17/us-c ... f-of-2012/

For more go to: 2012 Circulating Coin Production (in millions) January 2012 through June 2012 http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/co ... #starthere

Pennies almost alwas make up over 50% of the monthly number. Have you compared this years numbers to last years?

Look at the drop in NA and Pres $ 's ... Now that they are NIFC I assume.

Lincoln Cents

2006 8,234,000,000

2007 7,401,200,000

2008 5,408,400,000

2009 2,354,000,000

2010 4,010,830,000

2011 4,938,540,000


http://www.mountainviewcoins.com/mintag ... -cents.php

Coin Production Figures

2012 Figures to June - All Coins
http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/co ... #starthere

2011 Figures Jan-Dec - All Coins
http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/co ... #starthere

2010 Figures Jan-Dec - All Coins
http://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mint/co ... #starthere

changing metal content? the nickel, sure. what is cheaper than zinc for a penny?

penny pretty wrote:changing metal content? the nickel, sure. what is cheaper than zinc for a penny?

Lead.

Steel would be the cheapest metal. Lead is expensive versus steel.

As it stands, two bills have been introduced in the House of Representatives calling for cents and nickels to be produced from steel, although neither bill been voted on yet. The United States Mint is in the process of undertaking extensive research and development activities for alternative metallic coinage compositions with a report due to Congress near the end of this year. Any changes to composition would still need to be accomplished through legislation passed by Congress. Meanwhile, the Treasury Department and the United States Mint have continued to ask for direct authority to determine coinage compositions, as proposed in the President’s 2013 Budget.

I would have initially thought that the best replacement for the cu/ni nickel would be non-magnetic austenitic 300 series stainless, but if I've done my math right, the metal cost for those alloys, typified by 18-8 Cr-Ni, dwarfs the cost of the current cu/ni alloy cost, being dominated by the cost of the chromium content at roughly $100/lb.

Remember it is not about saving money but who has the strongest lobby.

mtldealer wrote:Steel would be the cheapest metal. Lead is expensive versus steel.

Joke flew over your head....

cesariojpn wrote:

mtldealer wrote:Steel would be the cheapest metal. Lead is expensive versus steel.

Joke flew over your head....

Mine too... what is it?

Copper Catcher wrote:Remember it is not about saving money but who has the strongest lobby.

So Sad and so true...