# Melting down pennies **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229 "2018-12-16T17:32:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Frank\_Burly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frank_burly/32/24_2.png) [@Frank\_Burly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_Burly)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/1 "2018-12-16T17:32:26Z")
Supposing I wanted to melt pennies into copper ingots for resale: 1. Is there a way to do it efficiently that doesn’t require an industrial furnace? 2. How many pennies would I need to make it profitable? ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/2 "2018-12-16T17:42:13Z")
Pennies made since 1983 are 97.5% zinc. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/3 "2018-12-16T17:45:10Z")
I think it’s illegal to destroy coins. If it’s copper in general you want to resell, recycling places do it. You get good money for copper, and it doesn’t require an industrial furnace (for you anyway). ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/4 "2018-12-16T18:05:20Z")
It isn’t. It’s illegal to _deface_ them, but not destroy them. Otherwise those “Turn a penny into a souvenir oval” presses at every tourist attraction would be illegal. ---
**Author:** ![Frank\_Burly](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frank_burly/32/24_2.png) [@Frank\_Burly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank_Burly)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/5 "2018-12-16T18:07:16Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Pennies made since 1983 are 97.5% zinc. Come back Zinc, come back! ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/6 "2018-12-16T18:12:56Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > It isn’t. It’s illegal to _deface_ them, but not destroy them. Otherwise those “Turn a penny into a souvenir oval” presses at every tourist attraction would be illegal. It is specifically illegal to melt pennies and nickles for scrap. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/7 "2018-12-16T18:15:44Z")
Zinc. What a cool word. Zinc. Caresses the ear and brain in a way that sinc, minc, or klinc just don’t. Zinc. Just awesome. ---
**Author:** ![Ike\_Witt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ike_witt/32/283_2.png) [@Ike\_Witt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ike_Witt)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/8 "2018-12-16T18:18:09Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > It is specifically illegal to melt pennies and nickles for scrap. Define scrap. If I take that metal and cast it as something, is that scrap? ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/9 "2018-12-16T18:22:09Z")
> [@](#): > > The Copper in a Penny. A pre-1982 copper penny contains about 2.95 grams of copper, and there are 453.59 grams in a pound. The price of copper in December 2018 was $2.76 a pound, which makes the value of copper in each penny worth about 1.8 cents.Dec 9, 2018 [https://www.google.com/search?q=value+of+penny+in+copper](https://www.google.com/search?q=value+of+penny+in+copper) ---
**Author:** ![GreysonCarlisle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a87d85/32.png) [@GreysonCarlisle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreysonCarlisle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/10 "2018-12-16T18:28:01Z")
> [@Frank\_Burly](#): > > 1. How many pennies would I need to make it profitable? One. Assuming that pre-1983 pennies are 100% copper and that pure copper can be sold for $2.70 per pound, each penny is worth about 1.85 cents. Math: 1 pound = 453.6 grams, giving a value of $0.00595 per gram. A penny weighs about 3.11 grams, giving a value of $0.0185. I think that zinc is worth about half what copper is per pound, so you’d never make a profit from melting the newer pennies. ---
**Author:** ![DSYoungEsq](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c6cbf5/32.png) [@DSYoungEsq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSYoungEsq)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/11 "2018-12-16T18:49:39Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Define scrap. If I take that metal and cast it as something, is that scrap? To be more specific, it is illegal to melt them for any reason. See 31 CFR 82.1: "Except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or designee) or as otherwise provided in this part, no person shall export, melt, or treat: (a) Any 5-cent coin of the United States; or (b) Any one-cent coin of the United States." ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/12 "2018-12-16T18:52:46Z")
> [@Ike\_Witt](#): > > Define scrap. If I take that metal and cast it as something, is that scrap? Of course. Using a material for another use based on its intrinsic value or properties ought to cover it. ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/13 "2018-12-16T19:00:50Z")
> [@Frank\_Burly](#): > > Come back Zinc, come back! It was all a dream. > [@](#): > > I thnk that zinc is worth about half what copper is per pound Currently worth around .42 as much. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/14 "2018-12-16T19:04:58Z")
I think it’s funny that if you want to obtain copper, pennies (which look like they’re made out of copper) are the worst coin to choose. Nickels, dimes, and quarters all have significantly more copper in them than pennies do. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/15 "2018-12-16T19:08:12Z")
> [@ElvisL1ves](#): > > Pennies made since 1983 are 97.5% zinc. They’re essentially copper-plated zinc. Back in high school 25 years ago, we used to heat them up with the bunsen burner, and the heat was just right such that the zinc would melt and the copper would stay solid. You could then toss them onto a hard surface and the zinc would come out and leave a weird shriveled penny shell. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/16 "2018-12-16T19:10:57Z")
Nickels and pennies have specific alloys that the Treasury Dept looks for on the scrap metal market. Nickels are 75% copper and 25% nickel, IIRC, so anyone selling that alloy will come to their attention. The old pennies were 95% copper and 5% zinc, and they keep their eye out for that, too. ---
**Author:** ![engineer\_comp\_geek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/engineer_comp_geek/32/504_2.png) [@engineer\_comp\_geek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/engineer_comp_geek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/17 "2018-12-16T19:13:14Z")
**Moderator Note** > [@DSYoungEsq](#): > > To be more specific, it is illegal to melt them for any reason. See 31 CFR 82.1: > > "Except as specifically authorized by the Secretary of the Treasury (or designee) or as otherwise provided in this part, no person shall export, melt, or treat: > > (a) Any 5-cent coin of the United States; or > > (b) Any one-cent coin of the United States." Given this, let’s keep everything on the legal side of the line, please. You can discuss the metal value in various coins (and various years of said coins) but let’s not discuss any specific techniques for melting them down, or how to make a profit while doing so. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/18 "2018-12-16T19:19:24Z")
I glued about, I don’t know, a thousand pennies on a tabletop and clear coated it. Should I be worried the feds are gonna come knocking and haul me to Leavenworth. Acckk! ---
**Author:** ![Darren\_Garrison](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/darren_garrison/32/92_2.png) [@Darren\_Garrison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darren_Garrison)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/19 "2018-12-16T19:27:24Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > I glued about, I don’t know, a thousand pennies on a tabletop and clear coated it. Wow, you [wasted a thousand dollars](https://cheezburger.com/1219589/people-reveal-they-cant-math-on-twitter-with-penny-floor-picture)! ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2018, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229/20 "2018-12-16T19:32:44Z")
> [@Darren\_Garrison](#): > > Wow, you [wasted a thousand dollars](https://cheezburger.com/1219589/people-reveal-they-cant-math-on-twitter-with-penny-floor-picture)! Niiiccee! I wonder if you were to run some household current through that if you could turn it into a radiant heat floor. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/melting-down-pennies/826229.md?page=2)