Zinc

[InfleXion]

Zinc, that stuff in the crap pennies that nobody wants... why?

Apparently the zinc supply will be the first metal to run out in the next 15 years...

http://www.silverseek.com/commentary/fu ... tals-16290

That's right, zinc, that stuff you take when you are sick to actually fight off the virus instead of treating the symptoms, like Zicam (I am not paid to endorse Zicam).

Apparently zinc is also an essential metal for the process of removing heavy metals from your body, as I learned when researching a metal detox I picked up.

I'm not saying I want any crap pennies, because those are worth the joy I get from the Coinstar machine (I am not paid to endorse Coinstar), but I'm wondering if there's a good way to stack it.

[Recyclersteve]

I read the article and it actually says that because silver is a byproduct of production of gold and base metals, that in reality it would run out first.

I'm not sure I believe these numbers. First, we are trusting other countries to tell us how much they have. I have a feeling that there are other reserves that are not being mentioned in the results because many would rather understate their holdings. For instance, a small country with huge holdings might be vulnerable to attack if they told the truth about how much they really have.

And I didn't see Switzerland on the list. I imagine there might be some huge holdings in Switzerland that are not included in the official numbers, especially the gold numbers. Gold isn't used that much for industry, more so for coins, bars and jewelry. It is very hard to imagine gold running out in just 20 years. That one doesn't pass the smell test.

[InfleXion]

I'm still a silverbug first and foremost, but I do like to diversify and I think the health benefits of zinc make it worth having some around for the vitamin plan, but vitamins can be expensive. I'm wondering if stacking zinc would be viable since it would almost certainly be more economical in that form.

[68Camaro]

The top three metals used for corrosion resistance are all in short supply. That's the primary role of zinc, to protect steel from oxidation. (Chromium and nickel being the other two - also used to add strength and heat resistance.) As has been mentioned many times the amount of reserves is related to price, for commodities.

[IdahoCopper]

I remember an episode of Barney Miller from the 70s or 80s, where the hot tip was, "Buy zinc". The guy bought a literal ton.

A 2000 lb bar of zinc would make good coffee table, and be very hard to steal.

[bankmining]

Just noticed on Coinflation that Zinc pennies now have a higher melt value to face value percentage than CuNi nickels. Must have happened in the last couple of weeks.

[TwoAndAHalfCents]

Just noticed on Coinflation that Zinc pennies now have a higher melt value to face value percentage than CuNi nickels. Must have happened in the last couple of weeks.

You caught my attention with your post about zinc pennies having a higher melt value to face value percentage. Then I checked Coinflation and realized the melt value of CuNi nickels has dropped so low. I have not been following that price for a long time. I should dump the $100 box of nickels I've been saving and just hold on to a few extra boxes of 2016-D pennies instead of dumping them.

[InfleXion]

Strange indeed that zinc pennies are actually more valuable per weight than the nickels I've been sifting out. I don't like that they don't have any ring to them... still need to figure out where to pick up a hunk of zinc so I don't have to further complicate my sorting methods.

I wonder what they'll make the penny out of next... or maybe it will just go away.

[JadeDragon]

Pennies will just go away. US is maybe the last country using a penny type coin.

[everything]

This old economist article from a few years back has an interesting take on why we still use the penny, what a worthless relic, just think of the loss of buying power since 1909.

http://www.economist.com/blogs/newsbook ... lled-penny

[Know Common Cents]

People save pennies primarily because their parents used to do that. When I was young in the 1950s everyone had a bank of some type to save their pennies, nix and dimes. I remember lying on my bed and trying to get the coins out of my bank by inserting a butter knife into the slot. Took some work, but I usually got what I needed.

Going to take another generation or two to totally wash out the desire to save these copper-colored worthless discs. No one wants to save them, but it's so easy to toss loose change into something at the end of the day.

Now with the wide use of smart phones, digital monetary transfers, etc., this is on the track to a fast fade.

[JadeDragon]

back to the original article... you could easily be mislead if you don't understand what the numbers mean. "Silver Reserves" refers to the amount of economically mineable silver in the ground. To say the world is going to run out of silver in x years by dividing the production rate into the reserves total is quite misleading.

1. If the price of a metal goes up, so does the amount of economically mineable reserves. If the world is running out of cheaply mineable silver the price WILL rise and silver that mining companies already know about but don't count in reserves at a given price level will start to be counted. A deposit that is not economical at $20 oz might be a "gold mine" at $50 an ounce.

2. Better technology for mining decreases the price per ounce to get silver

3. At higher prices, silver held for investment, scrap silver etc may flow into the industrial market

4. Higher prices leads to more exploration which leads to new reserves


See http://investingnews.com/daily/resource ... y-country/