I have a good friend in a state somewhere around mine that melts pennies. Yes, it's wrong, blah blah blah. He's not selling the copper, just hoarding it. He's a tinkerer. He built a "smelter" by using mirrors and the sun (basically).



Id never do it. I raise enough hell around here that i don't need to add destroying currency to the list lol. But it is interesting to watch him work. I have a hoard of pennies now, just fun to check your dates at the end of the day and throw the pre-'82 in a bucket. I used to purchase them by the $25 box from the bank. It worked at first because they would get their money from, basically, a huge building that all the "Money trucks" would go to if that makes sense. All the armored trucks that collect money from business's drop the money off at this place. They then redistribute the money to banks and other places. Don't know exactly how it works, that's just my guess. Anyway, i was buying from the bank, and it was great. Simply because all the pennies were circulated pennies. But something happened and they switched to all new pennies. Bought 3 boxes and they were all new.

Was fun while it lasted haha.