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Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:09 am
by gothboi30
Ok, so here's the deal: I have between $50-100 in '59-'82 copper cents that I've accumulated over the past year or two from hand sorting (I don't own a Ryedale). I am thinking about cashing them in and using the money to re-start searching halves. I gave up on halves about 6 months ago due to the number of other searchers in my area, and the fact that I was getting A LOT of skunks. I also do not believe that the gov't will lift the melt ban for cents and nickels anytime soon. Is this a good idea? Should I hold the copper? Try dimes instead of halves (better yield; average is about 1 silver dime per $250 sealed box)? What say you, fellow Realcenters?? I need some advice!!

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:15 am
by misteroman
i would say stick to cents 100%

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 1:29 am
by Corsair
If you really, really want to get rid of the pennies, sell them here. Looks like you can get around 1.4x to 1.5x for them. With that extra cash, you might want to build up a small penny hoard again, and go with halves or dimes. I would suggest, no, I would demand that you never cash in your copper pennies. It's like cashing in Wheat cents or silver dollars.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 2:14 am
by Joogaler
I agree, even if you only sold them for 1.2 X FV it's still better than cashing them in. It's kind of like organizing something, then deciding to trash it minutes later. If you cash them in I think I'll die a little on the inside just knowing it.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 2:25 am
by aristobolus
A hundred dollars? Just forget about em for a few years; they will increase in value. Do you want silver? Buy some on top of the copper you already have.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 12:59 pm
by HPMBTT
Hoard 'em all. Any and all metals. Don't spend your copper and keep on hoardin.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sat Dec 18, 2010 6:10 pm
by Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay
gothboi30 wrote:Ok, so here's the deal: I have between $50-100 in '59-'82 copper cents that I've accumulated over the past year or two from hand sorting (I don't own a Ryedale). I am thinking about cashing them in and using the money to re-start searching halves. I gave up on halves about 6 months ago due to the number of other searchers in my area, and the fact that I was getting A LOT of skunks. I also do not believe that the gov't will lift the melt ban for cents and nickels anytime soon. Is this a good idea? Should I hold the copper? Try dimes instead of halves (better yield; average is about 1 silver dime per $250 sealed box)? What say you, fellow Realcenters?? I need some advice!!


Look man, put them away in the lowest, darkest part of your hall closet and forget you own them for about five years. Then you will be very pleased at how much they will be worth! :D ;)

If you really want to grow your hoard... Get with a CPA and have yourself made into a Sub Chapter "S" Corporation. You will save a bundle on FICA (Social In-Security) payments. Take that FICA savings and religiously buy gold, silver, copper. It will pay enormously more for you than FICA ever will.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 12:46 am
by TXBullion
Where are you located, I know members have bought out others for face rather than doing a cash in, you might be able to make a few bucks extra or meet someone off the site which can be a good experience

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 1:37 am
by exbingoaddict
This sounds like a bad relationship. Silver searching left me heartbroken but it said it wants me back. This time things will be different, that’s what silver searching said. He’s changed, he told me so. He even got me flowers.

Silver searching is just not my bag. After you have known people that only pulled out one 40% half out of 5k of coins searched, well, it just doesn't seem all that keen to me.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Sun Dec 19, 2010 9:23 am
by Sheikh_yer_Bu'Tay
exbingoaddict wrote:This sounds like a bad relationship. Silver searching left me heartbroken but it said it wants me back. This time things will be different, that’s what silver searching said. He’s changed, he told me so. He even got me flowers.

Silver searching is just not my bag. After you have known people that only pulled out one 40% half out of 5k of coins searched, well, it just doesn't seem all that keen to me.


This cracks me up! :lol:

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 12:46 am
by CanadianNickle
I think that it is a good idea.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 1:58 am
by TwoPenniesEarned
The fellow selling this sorter on eBay says he finds 15-20 halves per box!

You should move to wherever he lives...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Silver-coin-Copper-Penny-Sorter-half-quarter-dime-bar-/140492382327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b5ffa077#ht_3670wt_1141

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 2:25 am
by exbingoaddict
TwoPenniesEarned wrote:The fellow selling this sorter on eBay says he finds 15-20 halves per box!

You should move to wherever he lives...

http://cgi.ebay.ca/Silver-coin-Copper-Penny-Sorter-half-quarter-dime-bar-/140492382327?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item20b5ffa077#ht_3670wt_1141


Of course he finds tons of silver. He's selling a silver sorter. No offense but come on. If you were selling sports cars to young men of course you're going to say 'oh women are going to notice you in this'. :P

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:00 pm
by csb3tennessee
Keep the copper. If you want to add silver- great- diversify. But keep the copper. Besides, it wouldn't be worth going blind trying to find one silver dime out of 2500.
Good searching to all!

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Mon Dec 20, 2010 3:45 pm
by PreservingThePast
gothboi30 wrote:Ok, so here's the deal: I have between $50-100 in '59-'82 copper cents that I've accumulated over the past year or two from hand sorting (I don't own a Ryedale). I am thinking about cashing them in and using the money to re-start searching halves. I gave up on halves about 6 months ago due to the number of other searchers in my area, and the fact that I was getting A LOT of skunks. I also do not believe that the gov't will lift the melt ban for cents and nickels anytime soon. Is this a good idea? Should I hold the copper? Try dimes instead of halves (better yield; average is about 1 silver dime per $250 sealed box)? What say you, fellow Realcenters?? I need some advice!!


I think you should do whatever you are comfortable doing. However, if you are able to hang onto your amount of Cu pennies then, I think that is the wisest choice.

Then why not, if you can, get one or two rolls of dimes from the bank--$5.00 - $10.00? Search then, then return them and get another couple of rolls. If you have an extra $5.00 the next time then by all means add another roll to the search amount. Eventually you can build up your searching funds and if necessary, these can always be liquidated very quickly for FRNs to pay bills, etc.

That way you can have the best of both worlds. Hopefully you will find some silver and not too many shorted rolls.

Enjoy your coin searches, everyone. :geek:

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:04 pm
by jbj
I've also been thinking of this as well. Just not sure if finding one coin in a box would be that much fun.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 5:22 pm
by Corsair
jbj wrote:I've also been thinking of this as well. Just not sure if finding one coin in a box would be that much fun.


If you need a break from pennies, try nickels or dimes. Even though you don't find much, it's entertaining. Also, no matter how small the amount, there is nothing like finding silver in the wild.

Re: Cashing in copper for silver?

PostPosted: Tue Dec 21, 2010 11:13 pm
by frugalcanuck
I did a dime box and struck silver. I have still only done one dime box. I dont know if I will ever do another one. I like silver and all but I dont know if that was worth the strain / frustration of going through a whole box to find one coin. The dates on Canadian dimes are very small and you cant rim check.