How valuable will base metal coins be in Hyperinflation?

[VWBEAMER]

I've been googling and searching. There was a story of either an old woman or a priest that saved a bathtub of copper pennies and used them to get through the inflation in Germany after WWI.

Here is a thread on snopes.com about it, but if you search there are other accounts of it also.

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=42738

I just wonder if the general public is going to accept a nickel beyond face value, even in hyperinflation where it's metal value is 30 or 40 times face.

I know in Argentina, coins where hoarded, and still are. I read some accounts where coins where hoarded in other countries, and other accounts where coins where worthless.

I think a lot has to do with the metal the coin is made of, but even an aluminum or zinc coin would be worth more than face value. Seems most Governments in hyperinflation just drop coins all together and just print notes.

Guess I'm just starting to doubt the wisdom in stacking Nickels as an hedge against hyperinflation. I know it will pay one day, but how long will I have to wait?

[VWBEAMER]

One more thing, I always notice that Government start the beginning period of inflation by debasing the coins, as far back as the Roman period. Coins usually go from being silver and gold, and then going to Copper then zinc, tin, aluminum, etc

http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/hyper.htm#ROMAN

I noticed the latest One dollar coins are made of the cheapest materials yet.

[BamaJoe]

If nothing else they will retain there metal value.

In the case of a devaluing of currency the coins will probably retain their value in relation to the "new" dollar, i.e. if 100 "old" dollars are exchanged for 1 "new" dollar the .gov will not replace all the coins in circulation. A dime will still be 1/10th of one of the "new" dollars.

[AGCoinHunter]

Interesting topic, would love to see what others think. I tend to agree with one of the snoops posters who said they basically become worthless. Why I think that is...think about it, how many actually realize the value of a silver coin these days...let alone a common cu cent..

[fusscharles]

I guess everyone will gain acumen on coin dates (82 coppers and 64 silvers) pretty quick, but I wonder if the rarer stuff like war nickesl and post 64 halves will be as liquid.... I can see myself trying to convince the local shop that a 69 halves are worth more than ones from later dates.

I know if there was truely an earth rattling event, Im going to every bank and buying all the nickels in the vault.... My morbid mind already has it planned out

[franklin]

"I know if there was truely an earth rattling event, Im going to every bank and buying all the nickels in the vault.... "

What if they can't get the darn thing open?

[VWBEAMER]

Found this thread over on kitco-

https://www.kitcomm.com/showthread.php?t=73376

[Copper Catcher]

I've been googling and searching. There was a story of either an old woman or a priest that saved a bathtub of copper pennies and used them to get through the inflation in Germany after WWI.

Here is a thread on snopes.com about it, but if you search there are other accounts of it also.

http://message.snopes.com/showthread.php?t=42738

I just wonder if the general public is going to accept a nickel beyond face value, even in hyperinflation where it's metal value is 30 or 40 times face.

I know in Argentina, coins where hoarded, and still are. I read some accounts where coins where hoarded in other countries, and other accounts where coins where worthless.

I think a lot has to do with the metal the coin is made of, but even an aluminum or zinc coin would be worth more than face value. Seems most Governments in hyperinflation just drop coins all together and just print notes.

Guess I'm just starting to doubt the wisdom in stacking Nickels as an hedge against hyperinflation. I know it will pay one day, but how long will I have to wait?

Check out the classic realcent vault and find the story of the woman and the bathtub.
http://realcent.forumco.com/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=4608

[fusscharles]

Franklin... why do you have to throw a cat amonst the pigeons of my plans?

[Beau]

what denomination of coins would you keep for when the SHTF and why?

would you keep

pennies

nickles

dimes

quarters

half dollars

I know you would keep silver and gold as long as possible.

THANKS Beau



.

[rickygee]

Here is THE question you can answer for yourself to determine the worth of copper, nickel, silver, gold, palladium, platinum, etc.

If you're hungry, very, very hungry how much metal will you trade for an envelope of two POP TARTS?

If your wife and kids are more hungry than you...

[Lemon Thrower]

if you compare a clad quarter with a nickel, the nickel will be worth more because the fiat value will become irrelevant in a hyperinflation.

in a world market, all things being equal (e.g. copper does not get more valuable), the nickel will retain its current purchasing power. about 2-4 of them to buy an egg.

in narrow markets, like weimar germany, there will be big price dislocations. when people are hungry, they'll let their grand piano and huge homes sell for much less than what they originally paid for them. but they'll only sell for real assets - metals, food, or other barterable goods. in this sense, the purchasing power of these metal coins will rise above their original purchasing power, but only when measured against deflating assets.

you have seen this phenomena occur to a mild extent in the U.S. already. Silver coins have risen equal to their metal value, but more than their metal value when measured in deflating assets such as residential real estate.