Here is the Rule (not Law - the U.S. Mint does not have the authority to write laws, only Congress can do that) http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/cons...sterNotice.pdf
Basically, it is legal to do whatever you want with U.S. coins - any U.S. coins - unless you are attempting to commit fraud. You can melt them, deface them, mark on them, poop on them - anything. There is just one exception, as spelled out in the rule listed above. You can't melt pennies or nickels for their metal value. 5 years in prison and/or $10,000 fine for doing so. You cannot carry on your person more than $5 of pennies or nickels out of the country. You can't ship more than $100 of pennies or nickels out of the country unless doing so for bona fide reasons (not melting).
Personally, I hoard pre-1982 pennies and silver nickels from World War II. I don't believe in all the end-of-the-world TSHTF garbage - but I do believe that our monetary system will collapse. The U.S. debt is so high the only way we'll ever be able to repay it is if our currency goes through hyperinflation.
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