I have a big jar full of pennies. Would I be better off to sell them to the scrapyard or just redeem them at the bank ?
Is the price of copper high ?
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ANSWERS: 5
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Don't just scrap them. First, pennies have not been made of copper since the early 1980s. They are zinc like the rest of the coins. You might have some "wheat" pennies in the mix and some can be more valuable depending on condition. I have collected pennies since the 1970s most rolled by date.
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Ice man Good to know. Thanks.
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Don't know about the copper but in the U.S. if we wanted to "redeem" them at the bank we would have to wrap them all in special 50 cent penny wrappers first which not everyone likes to do or has the patience to do. Maybe you fancy more a trip to the scrapyard. I would guess their value is not more than 20 dollars at the bank. So up to you.
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Ice man
Yes, my love (sarcasm) of rolling change is what led to the big jar being full in the first place. Oh well, if I'm absent for a few days next week, you'll know that I'm rolling pennies. : ) -
officegirl
I have seen change-sorting machines for sale that fit the standard wrappers. And in this area supermarkets and other stores used to have change machines that sorted and you could present the print-out receipt at the store for redemption and they charged a certain amount for that service. -
Ice man
Actually I was just talking to a friend half an hour ago, who told me about some new change sorting machines, for public use, at one of our local supermarkets. Like the ones you're describing. Hahahaha problem solved, and once again I'm a happy guy !! Thanks : )
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12-30-2016 Pennies dated 1981 and earlier are 95% copper and when copper was up they were worth more than twice face value. At the current price they are worth 1.7 times face. You can't sell them for scrap because the mint has banned melting of pennies. That is DUM because the mint does not make laws, but nobody wants to fight about it. The best thing you can do is save them until the country collapses and then you will have some real money to buy food or something. Pennies dated 1982 might be copper or zinc. Zinc pennies weigh 2.5 grams and copper pennies weigh 3.1 grams, so you can sort them with a balance made with a popsicle stick (since you probably don't have a gram scale).
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Ice man
Good to know, thanks.
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I always redeem them at the bank. I've been doing it for years and years.
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Ice man
If you want to spend a couple of days counting and rolling them - I'll gladly give you my full big jar. -
Nosmo King
I don't mind counting them, Ice man, and I've got quite a few notes stashed away if you'd care to swop. -
Ice man
Thank you anyway, but I've just learned of change sorting machines at one of our local supermarkets. Apparently you just dump your mixed coins in and this wonderful machine spits out a receipt which you cash in at the service counter. Will wonders never cease !
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They're more valuable coins
dickw60 
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