# What's the cheapest thing you can buy one million of? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 29, 2023, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316 "2023-08-29T23:02:23Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/81 "2023-08-31T02:17:51Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Where it gets ugly is when the price of them as scrap exceeds their face value as money. That’s when they disappear from circulation _en masse_ as profiteers melt them, expecting the government to keep handing out more below-market priced scrap for them to melt. No, that doesn’t happen, because it is unlawful to scrap US coinage unless and until it has been demonetized. Otherwise it would be profitable to arbitrage the spread between face value and scrap value at the recyclers. The government is widely considered to be profoundly stupid, but they aren’t that stupid. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/82 "2023-08-31T09:59:51Z")
There are more countries than just the USA. Further there are people who don’t always exactly follow every law every time. One hell of a lot of the old pure silver dimes disappeared forever during the big run-up in silver prices. back in the ~1980s (?) ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/83 "2023-08-31T10:21:46Z")
> [@Dr.Strangelove](#): > > I wonder if staples come in exact counts, or if they just snap off an approximate length. Considering the precision dimensions needed for a stapler to operate reliably, and the precision fit of the packaging, I suspect that a package of staples contains what it says it does. The fact that you can rarely fit a full stick of staples into an empty stapler is a topic for the Pit… ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 10:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/84 "2023-08-31T10:47:15Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > One hell of a lot of the old pure silver dimes disappeared forever during the big run-up in silver prices. back in the ~1980s (?) Well, right, but the silver price first ran up in the late 1950s, exceeding the face value. Thus silver coinage (not just dimes, but quarters, halves and dollars) were _demonetized_ in 1964. That’s why all the silver coins can lawfully be melted and refined into bullion bars. That’s the difference. ---
**Author:** ![Schnitte](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/schnitte/32/9033_2.png) [@Schnitte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Schnitte)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/85 "2023-08-31T12:11:42Z")
> [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > A penny. I suppose you can go to a bank and get a million of them for $10,000. I doubt a bank would do this. Why would it? It wouldn’t gain anything from this transaction. Perhaps as a favour to maintain good relations with an existing customer? I don’t think their service-oriented spirit would go that far. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 1:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/86 "2023-08-31T13:50:48Z")
I think they’d order the coins for you, but they would also charge a fee for the service. ---
**Author:** ![Cwturner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Cwturner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cwturner)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/87 "2023-08-31T15:12:07Z")
You dont want to have that many coins in one place. At least not in Philly. [2 million dimes](https://6abc.com/dime-theft-trailer-containing-dimes-philadelphia-walmart-parking-lot/13121955/) ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/88 "2023-08-31T15:14:40Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > The fact that you can rarely fit a full stick of staples into an empty stapler I always can. Maybe in the UK we have shorter sticks, or longer staplers. ---
**Author:** ![Peter\_Morris](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/peter_morris/32/359_2.png) [@Peter\_Morris](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peter_Morris)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/89 "2023-08-31T15:25:14Z")
> [@Schnitte](#): > > > [@Kent\_Clark](#): > > > > A penny. I suppose you can go to a bank and get a million of them for $10,000. > > I doubt a bank would do this. Why would it? It wouldn’t gain anything from this transaction. Some banks do. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/KodqIPMbyUg/maxresdefault.jpg "First CityWide Change Bank 2 - Saturday Night Live") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KodqIPMbyUg) ---
**Author:** ![Lucas\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucas_jackson/32/303_2.png) [@Lucas\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucas_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/90 "2023-08-31T19:08:04Z")
[You can buy 1, 039,999 celery seeds for $2.30](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/regal-celery-seed-5-lb/10200024.html) ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/91 "2023-08-31T19:17:51Z")
> [@Lucas\_Jackson](#): > > [You can buy 1, 039,999 celery seeds for $2.30](https://www.webstaurantstore.com/regal-celery-seed-5-lb/10200024.html) Check the OP: > [@Fiendish\_Astronaut](#): > > It must be something you would have to order an exact amount of. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Strangelove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.strangelove/32/6613_2.png) [@Dr.Strangelove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Strangelove)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/92 "2023-08-31T19:32:49Z")
> [@vbob](#): > > I suspect that a package of staples contains what it says it does. I think you’re right. This _How It’s Made_ video shows that staples are made by first gluing together a bunch of parallel wires into a continuous sheet, and then cuts/folds a whole strip at a time. In this particular case, they get exactly 80 staples per length, though I suspect it works the same for any gauge of staple: [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/JlQDlV-pNec/hqdefault.jpg "How It`s Made | Nails and Staples") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlQDlV-pNec&t=258) ---
**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2023, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/93 "2023-08-31T23:35:05Z")
You can buy a million plastic BB’s for $699. Or, $6.99 per 10,000. ---
**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:** [September 1, 2023, 12:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/94 "2023-09-01T12:15:32Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Sooo … What sells for a penny? Does a book of matches (20 individual matches IIRC) still sell for a penny? ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2023, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/95 "2023-09-01T21:54:45Z")
If you buy them in bulk, I found them as low as [$2.99 for a box of 50 books.](https://www.shoprite.com/sm/pickup/rsid/470/product/shoprite-book-matches-20-matches-per-book-50-count-id-00041190252725) That’s less than a penny per match, but you have to get them in a book of 20 (six cents per book) because that’s the only way you can get a strike strip. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2023, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/96 "2023-09-02T13:17:00Z")
I think that if your staples are the same brand as your stapler (and they’re approximately the same size, so no full-length strips for one of those little mini staplers), they’ll fit in easily, but different brands might have different standard lengths. Either way, it’s going to be a standard number. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2023, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/97 "2023-09-11T15:34:47Z")
> [@Common\_Tater](#): > > Thus silver coinage (not just dimes, but quarters, halves and dollars) were _demonetized_ in 1964. I disagree. The Coinage Act of 1965, stated, among other things, that “United States coins … are legal tender for all debts, public charges, taxes, and dues. …” See 31 U.S. C. § 5103. The last I heard (I haven’t looked into this lately) the only restriction on melting coins is for one cent pieces (pennies) and five cent pieces (nickels). This is a relatively recent restriction. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2023, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/98 "2023-09-11T15:46:18Z")
Plus I don’t think _any_ American currency has been demonetized, at least not since the Civil War. ---
**Author:** ![Ynnad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/4491bb/32.png) [@Ynnad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ynnad)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2023, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/99 "2023-09-11T15:50:00Z")
The United States is one of only a few (maybe the only one) countries in the world that can make this claim. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2023, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316/100 "2023-09-11T21:44:39Z")
Resistors? Is useless! More seriously, this seems the best answer so far. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-cheapest-thing-you-can-buy-one-million-of/989316.md?page=6)