Help a Church buy copper pennies at 1.5 times face (closed)

[mrrosado]

Hello,
I just found out about copper pennies and I need to raise funds for our World Youth Day Trip. I bought a machine to sort them and have purchased my first box of $25 coins to see if this is a worthwhile fundraiser. So far I sorted about 3 pounds worth of copper pennies by hand (the machine arrived today). I figured I'll sell them here at 1.5X face plus the cost of shipping in order to raise some of the funds we need. If you're interested in purchasing some of our copper pennies please e-mail me at FatherRosado@FahterRosado.com

If you wish to donate your zinc pennies to us we'll take them! To find out more about World Youth Day and our trip please go to http://www.stjohnsgoshen.com/wyd

May God Bless You

Father Rosado

[Engineer]

Welcome to the forum, and feel free to post an introduction in the members only forum. After you've made ten posts, you'll be able to post your copper cents for sale in the marketplace.

Copper cents typically sell for around 1.4 cents shipped here, so getting people to pay 1.5 cents plus shipping could be tough. Selling them locally might help you to get a higher margin.

[jacer333]

Welcome to the forum! I commend you on your efforts in taking on this fundraiser, it sure can take up your time and energy! I think a lot of members here would be willing to pitch in and buy your coins at that price, knowing that the funds are for a good cause. Keep us posted on your progress and best of luck.

[TJMatt]

Sounds like a great cause! I'm sure you will find plenty of interested parties here online. The best of luck to you!

[cesariojpn]

Copper cents typically sell for around 1.4 cents shipped here, so getting people to pay 1.5 cents plus shipping could be tough. Selling them locally might help you to get a higher margin.

I'll buy for 1.5 cents each if I get a tax write off receipt as well.

[mrrosado]

well so far its not going well. It takes a lot of time to sort the pennies. We did sell some wheat pennies but most of the profit went on postage. This fundraiser was a good idea in theory. As for a tax write off???? I don't know how that works if you get something back you would need to speak to your tax lawyer or accountant.

[mrrosado]

I'm sure we can give you a letter for the zinc pennies you donate to us.

[mrrosado]

well so far its not going well. It takes a lot of time to sort the pennies. We did sell some wheat pennies but most of the profit went on postage. This fundraiser was a good idea in theory. As for a tax write off???? I don't know how that works if you get something back you would need to speak to your tax lawyer or accountant.

We're still tyring I got 5 pounds 6.2 oz of pennies. How much should that go for?

[Thogey]

At 1.5X face that's about 12 bucks.

You're better off going the bake sale route or car wash before the weather gets too bad.

[mrrosado]

At 1.5X face that's about 12 bucks.

You're better off going the bake sale route or car wash before the weather gets too bad.

thats what I was thinking. We just need to go through too many pennies before we can earn a profit and we need to raise thousands of dollars.

[everything]

Times really have changed, I definitely acquired more godly views and knowledge by going to local bible school in the summer, evening classes, rote memorization of scripture, and just being one with god. We car pooled to these events. When we had a random weekend camping trip it was like 5-10 bucks to cover gas and food, this was back in the 80's. Now, lol, my gfriend has been on a missions trip to Belize, (which according to her recollection sounded more like a women's group vacation), went to get baptized in Jordan River in Israel, and her church asks for 10 percent of your income because they got mortgage payments.

[mrrosado]

Times really have changed, I definitely acquired more godly views and knowledge by going to local bible school in the summer, evening classes, rote memorization of scripture, and just being one with god. We car pooled to these events. When we had a random weekend camping trip it was like 5-10 bucks to cover gas and food, this was back in the 80's. Now, lol, my gfriend has been on a missions trip to Belize, (which according to her recollection sounded more like a women's group vacation), went to get baptized in Jordan River in Israel, and her church asks for 10 percent of your income because they got mortgage payments.

We're Catholic. This trip is supposed to be to see the Pope in Brazil. Youth from all over the world will be able to gather and together with the Pope worship God. It's not really an encounter with the pope but an encounter with God. The pope being their is cool but Jesus is more important. Just imagine a Mass with 100,000 young people. It gives them the sense that the Church is not dead it is alive just like Jesus is alive. Fundraising so far has been tough but as long as the kids are willing to go through pennies this fundraiser will be a side fundraiser. I already bought a penny sorting machine and we have another machine that rolls pennies and a scale so we can make a little money to help us. We need a little over $12,000 by July of 2013.

[deacon]

At 1.5X face that's about 12 bucks.

You're better off going the bake sale route or car wash before the weather gets too bad.

You could have a parish rummage sale, and have proceeds go toward the trip, or an occasional collection.

[blackrabbit]

Interesting coincidence. I was born and raised in Goshen, New York. I am Catholic but got trained at St. Columba in Chester, New York. I doubt you will make too much money with this idea, but it is a good idea to teach the youth about real currency. A car wash or rummage sale is a good idea for Goshen. My parents and Grandmother still live there and I will be probably be visiting for Christmas. Peace be with you, and good luck!

[shinnosuke]

I know it seems like a huge task, but "many hands make light work." Get everybody in your parish involved. Create a real money revolution in the land of Goshen. Each famly with the financial means to do so could pick up a box of pennies per week. Sort while watching TV and then dump the zincs, rinse and repeat. Good luck.

[barrytrot]

Or just get a Ryedale and sort quickly. If you can get 1.5x you can make $15/hour or more. If you have a line on unlimited cents you are home free, just take turns manning the Ryedale and you can get $12,000 in just over a month of running 24/7.

[blackrabbit]

Try for some silver while you are at it if you have the manpower. Since the bank is friendly try some halves and see if there are any silver veins there. You never know. Lots of old money around there and perhaps you will get lucky. You can't lose any money trying!

[scyther]

Try for some silver while you are at it if you have the manpower. Since the bank is friendly try some halves and see if there are any silver veins there. You never know. Lots of old money around there and perhaps you will get lucky. You can't lose any money trying!

I agree. Who knows if you'll be able to sell much copper at the price you're asking, but there are always willing buyers for silver...

[getdong]

I was looking at setting up an affiliate program or referal program for my site. Have no idea how I would structure it but was thinking about using it to make money for myself first and foremost but also help out military charities or something like that, churches would be another option. Still trying to figure out how I would structure and track a program like that though. I have some zincs I may be willing to donate if I could get a receipt for a write off.

[mrrosado]

Try for some silver while you are at it if you have the manpower. Since the bank is friendly try some halves and see if there are any silver veins there. You never know. Lots of old money around there and perhaps you will get lucky. You can't lose any money trying!

Well to update everyone Blackrabbit bought all the coppers from our first box and gave a donation on top of the purchase price. We also made .74 cents on ebay and found a dime in a penny roll which the bank said we could keep. So we ended up making a little over $20 off a $25 box minus paypal/ebay fees. Thanks again. Thanks to all for the ideas. I think we're going to do a car wash. I'll try to organize that. As for the silvers I tried that and was told they didn't have any. I looked through a bunch of quarters and found none. My brother went to Puerto Rico and after I read the information online about silvers they found I think 2 silver dimes and a silver quarter in my moms coin collection!