Pre-1982 pennies and some 1982 pennies have 2.4 cents worth of copper in them. They sell machines that automatically sort the copper pennies from the copper clad zinc pennies. It's illegal to melt pennies down, but I bet it happens.

Keith

The only problem with melting down pennies for the copper is that pennies are about 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, that alloy is a type of bronze. It's essentially "dirty" scrap and would be worth less than copper.

I got a bag of old coins my uncle gave me that he plowed up on the farm back home.They date from 1741 to 1805.

I like this Canadian silver dollar cause it's got a couple trappers on it.

That is cool

I really don't collect but have saved some through the years. I a lot of silver dollars and a few are worth some money but most are worth not much. I have a few 1889 CC silver dollars I know they have a better value.

I've got some old coins my grandad gave me, but nothing as cool as BOCO's picture. I've never given coin collecting much thought, but this post has been very interesting.

I have all my spare change in big pickle jars. Barring an emergency, I plan on burying it and leaving a treasure map for great grandkids to search for!

Finding banks with half dollars should be relatively easy. None of the banks you tried had any? The vast majority will be clad(copper/nickel) varieties but there are still enough examples of silver halves floating around you should be able to score some. Did you ask you regular bank if they would order some? They can, they maybe won't. It will cost you $500.

The large dollar coins aren't as easy to get from banks and the odds of pulling silver are very slim. Your bank can order those too but they wont. Doesn't hurt to ask though.

The gold plating on the Ohio quarter was done post mint and will not have any value beyond the .25

Canada made some pretty neat silver coins back in the day. Well other than the king or queen on the obverse lol. In the USA they are generally easy to find for melt or near melt value, at least in my experiences.

Here are some other examples of Canadian silver coins that are easy enough to acquire.

Silver dollars besides the iconic Voyageur reverse.



Half dollar


Quarter.



Non silver nickel

Now those have the Cool factor!

henpecked , is there a site or seller that you can trust , I always wanted confederate money just a couple bills and coins but I wouldn't know if it was even real , not really looking to collect but just wanted a couple bills. Thanks

My bank did not have them nor did four or five others. A BB&T did have them and sold me a box of $500 kids and I burned through them. Not a one prior to 1971. So idk if we do another box or two after turning this one back in or just call it quits for now. Thanks for the info all.

Okay Boco, I'll have to admit it, Canada does have some pretty cool coinage; lots of great animal images that any trapper would appreciate. Still though a couple of the most beautiful coins imo are the U.S. Saint Gaudens double eagle $20 gold piece, and the Walking Liberty half dollar.

Here are a few old ones in my Collection.
1859 Fatty Indian, 1926 Buffalo

1781 Spanish 1/2 reale and a 1851 Large Cent.