Is it legal for me to....

BuffaloBoy

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Feb 16, 2011
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i am by no means an expert, but I don't see why not... We cannot melt down US copper cents, now canada... those are not american. :dontknow:
 

SFBayArea

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Aug 28, 2009
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Do you actually have 15 lbs of Canadian copper cents? That's a lot.

There's no laws I can think of in the US banning destruction of foreign coins. Why would they even bother creating such a law?
 

mts

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Call ahead. I can't imagine that a scrap yard will be the best place to get rid of such a thing. I would imagine the price they pay would be terrible. Then again, maybe not. Let us know what you find out.
 

namster

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Technically it is not illegal to sell US copper cents to a scrap yard, but it is illegal for the scrap yard to melt them. Food for thought.
 

FormerTeller

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Apr 24, 2011
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SFBayArea said:
Do you actually have 15 lbs of Canadian copper cents? That's a lot.

There's no laws I can think of in the US banning destruction of foreign coins. Why would they even bother creating such a law?

I was thinking the same thing. I'd be very interested to know how much the scrapyard will pay for copper Canadian cents. I'm skeptical as well, as they'd have to verify that all the ones you sold them were actually copper. Still, I'm holding mine, as well as the 99.9% nickel nickels...
 

SFBayArea

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You could also just put them up on Feebay. They usually go for around 2xFace on Feebay. I don't have that many to sell of course. I do seperate the 1979 & before ones, then the 1980-81's, and then finally the 82-96's all separately.
 

sagittarius98

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Canadian cents had varying amounts of copper in their cents, so you may not get the exact amount for the copper.
 

SFBayArea

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sagittarius98 said:
Canadian cents had varying amounts of copper in their cents, so you may not get the exact amount for the copper.

That's why you seperate

1.) 1979 & Before
2.) 1980-1981
2.) 1982-1996
 

AGBlex

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i;ve got 50 lbs of the funny up north pennys. all pre 96 but majority are 70's and 80's. i'll have to do more sorting
 

MIhunter

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Jun 29, 2011
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TakeDownTick50 said:
This makes me wonder whether you can take U.S. cents to Canada and melt them. :o :o

It is illegal to export more than $5 of US pennies, the only expection is for Numistic purpose and then no more than $100.

namster said:
Technically it is not illegal to sell US copper cents to a scrap yard, but it is illegal for the scrap yard to melt them. Food for thought.
s

I do not believe that is true. The companies that buy foreign coins often melt them if there is no better way to covert them to US cash.

Scrap yards can buy and melt foreign coins, but your best price in on Craig's List to someone who wants to invest in copper or nickel. He may be willing to pay spot.

I currently have 12 lbs of Canadian pre 1980 pennies and 9 of pre 1982 Nickels
 

namster

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MIhunter said:
I do not believe that is true. The companies that buy foreign coins often melt them if there is no better way to covert them to US cash.

Read my post again, carefully.
 

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