Rolling or not rolling for after SHTF

[balz]

I'm really excited about not having to roll zinc pennies to dump them at the bank.

However, I'm still rolling Cu pennies and I'd like to read more about what you think on this subject. Do you think it is worth the time doing it? How do you think we could use those pennies in the future?

I mean: it's clear that if it's only for melting purpose (which would require melt ban abolishing) one does not need to roll. But what about other use?

Roll or no roll?

Thanks

[StoreOfValue]

I roll some and have been quite successful bartering with friends. It is easy to announce what a box of Cu's are worth and what they sell for on eBay.

I think it is important to keep some as simply bullion weight.

[creshka46]

I've been rolling lately but really just because I don't have an accurate way of measuring by weight so rolling is the only way I really know what I have. It's also handy for stacking/storing.

[shinnosuke]

Don't roll. I'm small-time, hand-rolling. No time to roll. I figure if times get tough and I don't have a job, then I can roll.

[balz]

Thanks for your replies. I really do like this forum. You guys are way ahead of the crowd!

My idea was this: it takes about 1 hour to 1 hour and a half to roll a box of Cu, because I want to do it well and I double-check to be sure not to put zinc pennies in it. So my idea was simply to put those pennies in the box without any rolling and put tape all over it. I'm not sure about humidity however and I guess it can get more complicated to know exactly how much copper there is in it.

So my question about what after SHTF is about what will be a currency then:

- One penny?
- One roll?
- One box?
- Melted copper?

I'm trying not to waste time right now, but I may need this time later as well. This is where I'm at right now!

[Henchman]

I have been sorting my Cu into Good, Wheats, Ugly, Canadian and Shiny. I am attempting to eyeball sort my Good Cu and take out any other types this week. Once I clear out the Good Cu I will run it thru a coin counter and make $25.00 zip-lock bags and place them in a 32 gallon trash can for storage. I feel $25 bags will be an easy way to unload either to the smelter, collector or bank if times get tough.

I recently had to deal with hurricane Irene and my plans got forced on me faster then I thought, so it's time to do the dreaded eyeballing and get it done.

I opted to get a DeLaRue coin counter off eBay for $200 used. I LOVE it! Not to mention I can easily resell it for close to what I paid. If you are going to roll, it also helps with that. Mine came with aluminum tubes for each denomination for the purpose of rolling. You can set a batch to what you want, say 50 pennies, hit the button and your wrapper is filled in 2secs.

I would invest in a coin counter if you have the extra cash and Ryedale if you haven't already. Less time spent on sorting, counting, rolling gives you time to do other things or do more of those 3!

Cheers,
Henchman

[stonewallrabbitry]

I have putting ten pounds into one quart ziplock bags, ten pounds almost fills one to the max. I only have eight bags so far but they look nice stacked like sandbags

[balz]

I have been sorting my Cu into Good, Wheats, Ugly, Canadian and Shiny. I am attempting to eyeball sort my Good Cu and take out any other types this week. Once I clear out the Good Cu I will run it thru a coin counter and make $25.00 zip-lock bags and place them in a 32 gallon trash can for storage. I feel $25 bags will be an easy way to unload either to the smelter, collector or bank if times get tough.

I recently had to deal with hurricane Irene and my plans got forced on me faster then I thought, so it's time to do the dreaded eyeballing and get it done.

I opted to get a DeLaRue coin counter off eBay for $200 used. I LOVE it! Not to mention I can easily resell it for close to what I paid. If you are going to roll, it also helps with that. Mine came with aluminum tubes for each denomination for the purpose of rolling. You can set a batch to what you want, say 50 pennies, hit the button and your wrapper is filled in 2secs.

I would invest in a coin counter if you have the extra cash and Ryedale if you haven't already. Less time spent on sorting, counting, rolling gives you time to do other things or do more of those 3!

Cheers,
Henchman

If I understand correctly, it counts and rolls automatically? How does it work exactly?

I'm not sure about paying that much. At that price, maybe I'm better not rolling them at all? I mean: if every each penny is worth like 10-15X maybe it' ll be fun at that time to roll!

[jldco]

That barter option that Storeofvalue mentioned is the only good reason I've ever heard for rolling. I suppose if times got hard enough to use them for currency, nobody's going to trust that they're all copper, or even all pennies for that matter, and they'll get opened anyway... I think a bulk storage solution would work best. If it doesnt get bad enough for using them as currency and you decide to take them to the scrap yard for some quick cash, (whatever that winds up being) I would imagine you could get a lower value for the weight because you can't see what they really are. I buy or sell copper pennies everyday, but I won't touch them if they are rolled...
That's just my two cents worth.... and they are probably two zincs at that.

[balz]

You nearly convinced me that rolling is a waste of time. You are so right that anyway rolls will get opened...

However for investing purpose I like the fact that I know one box of 50 rolls is about 14 to 15.5 pounds; it's easy then to know how much penny weight I have.

Anyone know how much weight a same box with loose pennies can be? I got no scale...

[slickeast]

What purpose is there to rolling them now? Just sort and store in tightly sealed buckets.

If there comes a time that they have to be rolled( which I can't think of one ) you can roll them then.

[balz]

What purpose is there to rolling them now? Just sort and store in tightly sealed buckets.

If there comes a time that they have to be rolled( which I can't think of one ) you can roll them then.

Would you consider a tighly sealed bucket been superior storage to the actual boxes with tape?

I mean: at least with a box it can breath a bit... in a tighly sealed bucket I would fear humidity. But maybe I am wrong.

Anyway what you just said makes sense to me: if I have to roll them, I'll do it later. Right now I must stack!

[Henchman]

If I understand correctly, it counts and rolls automatically? How does it work exactly?

You hold the aluminum cylinder under the feeder and a wrapper under the cylinder. It funnels the coins out of the feeder into the wrapper for you. You still have to hold the wrapper in place but it takes 2secs to fling out 50 coins.

I don't think of it as money spent cause I know I will resell the coin counter once my stack is where I want it. Even at a 50% loss, paying $100 for all the time it will save me is huge. Same with my Ryedale, though probably a bit harder to resell. I bought mine used for $400, I'm sure I could resell for $300 when the time comes as long as I don't run her too hard!

You seem to know what you want to do with your coins. The box system works fine if it fits your style. I originally had my pennies thrown back in the $25 boxes then saw a post on here about cardboard in wet environments. Something I never thought of... and that I live on a bay So switched to the zip-locks, inside a garbage bag, inside a trash can. I'm actually looking into the best substance to add on the outside of the garbage bag to keep the moisture level almost nil (rice or some other form someone mentioned in another post).

Keep up the good work, these are all good problems as long as the stack keeps rising!

Cheers,
Henchman

[inflationhawk]

Rolling makes your cu more marketable. While melting doesn't require rolling, you're most likely means of resale is the secondary market, not a smelter. The lifting of the melt ban will raise the value of your cu pennies in the secondary marketplace and allow you the opportunity to sell their easier than a smelter, unless of course you have a smelter locally with easy access.

[1saved3.11earned]

I just recently purchased my Ryedale and currently just have a big container of loose coppers. I would like to put $25 into a Tyvek priority mail bag and then into the $25 boxes, but I'm not too sure they will fit in there, so I'll probably just keep them in the Tyvek envelopes.

[John_doe]

Don't roll. I'm small-time, hand-rolling. No time to roll. I figure if times get tough and I don't have a job, then I can roll.

I have to agree here. I do not roll. It takes a lot of time as it is to sort. You can take the money you use to buy the rolls and buy more coppers too.

[balz]

I think you are all right. I will stop rolling.

So far I think I will stock them in the boxes, but of course something that could be buried in the backyard would be better... Maybe a jar with some silicium or anything that can absorb humidity.

The only problem I see with jars is that they don't stack as well.

[shinnosuke]

I think you are all right. I will stop rolling.

So far I think I will stock them in the boxes, but of course something that could be buried in the backyard would be better... Maybe a jar with some silicium or anything that can absorb humidity.

The only problem I see with jars is that they don't stack as well.

OK guys, let's meet in balz' backyard tonight at 3am. Everyone bring their metal detectors & shovels.

[balz]

Haha! I'll bury zinc just for you!

[slickeast]

I use 5 gallon buckets. I put a silica pack on the top before I put the lid on. I use a small hand truck if I need to move one. Holds about $275.

When you are measuring your copper in tons, rolling would require a lot of work, time and money.

[balz]

5 gallon buckets seems a bit... heavy... and are you sure it is very tightly sealed?

What about something a bit lighter (something that you can move around easily, let's say 100$ worth, which must be close to 60 pounds)?

[John_doe]

I think you are all right. I will stop rolling.

So far I think I will stock them in the boxes, but of course something that could be buried in the backyard would be better... Maybe a jar with some silicium or anything that can absorb humidity.

The only problem I see with jars is that they don't stack as well.

I have heard stories of old timers burying money in coffee cans. I wasn't ever sure if they were serious.

[TwoAndAHalfCents]

I just sorted a bunch of CWR's last night. The wrappers were in good shape so I used them to roll up some of the coppers I've been storing loose. I probably won't go this route for all of of my coppers but having some of them neatly rolled and boxed may come in handy for selling or bartering.

[AGCoinHunter]

I am a hand sorter. I roll mine back up with the CWR's I get and store them in $25 blocks. Makes it much easier to see how much I have in face value. I also have some loose stored in clear bank bags but they are a pain in the you know what to move. I do think rolled are more marketable as long as you have the time to do it. I also have a cointube which is marked at 50 cents, I just dump them in to the line and dump them into the rolls. Takes very little time. But then again I am small time...

[GTOJohn]

i try to store in 5 gallon buckets also - keep sorting. when it gets impossible to get pennies, then take the time to roll/box if ya want. for now, store in bulk, finish up when sorting is done. also - the market in the future may dictate - such as rolled/boxed in 25$, maybe $50 coinlok bags, who knows. just a wild thought here.