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So, while at the gun show I witnessed something...

JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
edited January 2012 in General Discussion
that i have been rolling around in my head trying to figure out.

While out walking the tables, I come across a guy selling pure copper coins. His sign says the New American Currency. His coins are very nice, struck with great detail. The ribs are straight and all is wonderful.

So there is a guy there buying some of these fine .999 copper coins. $100 to be exact. That's what caught my eye to begin with. Someone dropping a c note on a table that has no guns, nothing to do with guns at a gun show...

So i sort of pull up and mull over some 20mm ammo cans withing ear shot to see what this guy is up to. Slowly mulling my way to the table for a closer glance. I get there, and examine the coins. They have bust portraits on the front of people I havent the foggyist whom they are. On the back are the likes of native ameicans, axes, mary jane leafs, a sling blade... and it says .999 fine copper!

So what am I missing here? Why would someone drop a c note on copper coins? Yeah yeah, his money yada yada yada. But but but... i don't get it! Why does copper have to be .999 fine? Why would it not me 1.000 pure copper?

So any ideas or input on the point or purpose of these coins? Not exactly like people were lining up for these by any means.

Comments

  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    They have no true monetary status. They are simply souvenir coins like those plated coins you can buy off the TV that are made in Liberia. [:D] As far as the purity goes, it is difficult to find metals more pure than .999 or .9999 because of the cost of refining. Check the price of copper. If his price was low enough (doubtful) then you could make a profit buying it and then selling it to a metals dealer.
  • Rack OpsRack Ops Member Posts: 18,596 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by JnRockwall

    While out walking the tables, I come across a guy selling pure copper coins. His sign says the New American Currency.


    The Federal Gub'mint doesn't take kindly to someone else claiming they are making currency.

    He'll find himself in prison if he isn't careful
  • skicatskicat Member Posts: 14,431
    edited November -1
    It is a commodity like silver or gold. It just isn't worth very much. I think he is marketing to people who believe we are headed to a road warrior barter system. I was thinking of buying a big bar of copper just for the fun of having a solid copper doorstop.
  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!

    His sign saying it was the new American currency. Copper be damned, who wants copper? You want cheap copper, buy a poop load load of pennies, if it is dated 1982 or earlier, its .999 fine copper. if it is 1983 it is a zink turd with a copper coating!

    a copper penny is worth more than a penny folks!

    none the less, I didn't even bother asking how much the coins were. I just figured this guy for one of those shtf types and felt like he was stocking up on something that may give him leverage without the expense of gold or silver.

    But to me, he was buying nothing. Wasting his money...
  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by skicat
    It is a commodity like silver or gold. It just isn't worth very much. I think he is marketing to people who believe we are headed to a road warrior barter system. I was thinking of buying a big bar of copper just for the fun of having a solid copper doorstop.


    like this? http://www.providentmetals.com/bullion/copper/1-avdp-kilo.html?gclid=CO-1itq40a0CFYRgTAodSCLsAw

    now you mention it, it would be kinda funny.
  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    IRONY!!! Just what did he WANT in exchange for his "New American Currency"? That's right. Federal Reserve Notes. (Current American Currency) [:D][:D][:D] Like Bugs would say, "What a maroon!" [:D][:D][:D]
  • yoshmysteryoshmyster Member Posts: 22,051 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So how big were these new coins? Hockey Puck size? I'm trying to figure out the trade value as in bullion (not he cubes used to make soup [:D] that was a funny line from "Three Kings").

    It's pretty hard to get 100% pure whatever metal. I think the closest is what .9999 pure.
  • andrewsw16andrewsw16 Member Posts: 10,728 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Next time you go to a show where he may be present, print up some of your own "New American Greenbacks" and offer to pay for his copper coins with those. [:D][:D]
  • KnifecollectorKnifecollector Member Posts: 3,267 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Spot price of copper today is $3.63 lb. So unless he carried away 30 lbs of coins he paid over market. I see the same copper coins at the gun shows I attend.
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    What was it P.T Barnum Said????
  • TooBigTooBig Member Posts: 28,559 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Maybe you should have parted with a 100 bill and then you could give us a hands on report[:D][}:)][:p][^]
  • chollagardenschollagardens Member Posts: 4,614 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Why buy .999 coppper coins when you can have 75% copper coins mixed in with 25% nickle for only five cents. They are worth more than melt value and cost over eleven cents to make. The US goverment is and has been pondering changing the content to steel or other metals.
  • buckstarbuckstar Member Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The guy didn't buy it for it's potential monetary value. He bought it as a conversation piece. $100 for a conversation piece of that nature is silly to me but I guess if the gun show didn't have enough tables filled with guns that were good enough for the guy to spend his money on then I guess he got something from his trip.

    The last gun show I went to was so bad I only got some fudge, and that was only because the guy promised that the proceeds would go to helping vets. There is no guarantee that he was legit either, but it got him a lot more business than the other person that was simply selling fudge. Gun shows in my area are more or less just themed flea markets, selling a variety of low-grade products for high-grade prices. The fudge was top notch bye the way.
  • Sav99Sav99 Member Posts: 16,037 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
    quote:Originally posted by JnRockwall

    While out walking the tables, I come across a guy selling pure copper coins. His sign says the New American Currency.


    The Federal Gub'mint doesn't take kindly to someone else claiming they are making currency.

    He'll find himself in prison if he isn't careful



    And the Federal Reserve likes it even less.
  • oldemagicsoldemagics Member Posts: 5,851 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    the kid showed me a listing on flea bay for copper coins that had a blurb about copper being the "new silver"
    forget what rediculous price they had on them, but whatever dies they were struck from had excellent detail, and some just wierd designs
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    We put a stop to these people, the "Gold and coin dealers" the Jerkey sellers" the Book Sellers" at our gun Show, you have to display at least 60 percent of your merchandise in firearms and gun related Items...
  • buckstarbuckstar Member Posts: 1,163 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Classic095
    We put a stop to these people, the "Gold and coin dealers" the Jerkey sellers" the Book Sellers" at our gun Show, you have to display at least 60 percent of your merchandise in firearms and gun related Items...


    I like that. I would prefer to go to gun shows where there are some sort of restrictions in place to make sure I'm not paying the entrance fee to see a bunch of non-gun sellers. I would still like to have a simple food court, like a hotdog stand or something, as I tend to make several laps just to make sure I didn't miss anything and get hungry enough to leave early.

    quote:the kid showed me a listing on flea bay for copper coins that had a blurb about copper being the "new silver"
    forget what rediculous price they had on them, but whatever dies they were struck from had excellent detail, and some just wierd designs

    You can get that done at any of the places where people make commemorative coins. Just select from their stock designs and fonts, arrange them into what you want your coin to look like, and pay the fee to have them made. There is a big enough market for commemorative, non-monitary coins that this is a fully established niche business. The guy in question just found an alternate market for this product.
  • n/an/a Member Posts: 168,427
    edited November -1
    Our Club Rents the County Fair Bldg,, It has a full Kitchen, Our volunteers cook up some pretty good snacks there. Got tired of people coming in trying to sell junk that was not firearm, hunting, related...So we made the rule,, 60 percent firearm related or No GO!!..
  • fordsixfordsix Member Posts: 8,554 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    i have decided to start sifting my pennies for copper ones[;)]
  • blackhawk45blackhawk45 Member Posts: 481 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    There is a sucker born every minute. P.T.B.
  • drobsdrobs Member Posts: 22,620 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by fordsix
    i have decided to start sifting my pennies for copper ones[;)]


    Did that the other day and found a 1943 steel penny.
    Looks to be worth all of...


    $0.15
  • grumpygygrumpygy Member Posts: 48,464 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    So How many did he get for $100.
  • nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,892 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Many of my customers with brass caps on their fire department connection have had the caps stolen. The buttwipes stealing them sell them to a scrap metal dealer, who pays them a couple of bucks for the copper content.

    Neal
  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by drobs
    quote:Originally posted by fordsix
    i have decided to start sifting my pennies for copper ones[;)]


    Did that the other day and found a 1943 steel penny.
    Looks to be worth all of...


    $0.15


    trade that 1 penny for 15 copper pennies and you realize .24 cents for your .15 cent penny.
  • JnRockwallJnRockwall Member Posts: 16,350 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by grumpygy
    So How many did he get for $100.


    I have no idea.

    quote:Originally posted by chollagardens
    Why buy .999 coppper coins when you can have 75% copper coins mixed in with 25% nickle for only five cents. They are worth more than melt value and cost over eleven cents to make. The US goverment is and has been pondering changing the content to steel or other metals.


    If you are talking about nickels, I think they are 100% nickel. I never heard they had copper in them.

    quote:Originally posted by yoshmyster
    So how big were these new coins? Hockey Puck size? I'm trying to figure out the trade value as in bullion (not he cubes used to make soup [:D] that was a funny line from "Three Kings").

    It's pretty hard to get 100% pure whatever metal. I think the closest is what .9999 pure.


    They were the same size as 1/4 ounce and 1 oz gold coins. I never thought to see if copper was based on troy ounces.
  • FrancFFrancF Member Posts: 35,279 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Rack Ops
    quote:Originally posted by JnRockwall

    While out walking the tables, I come across a guy selling pure copper coins. His sign says the New American Currency.


    The Federal Gub'mint doesn't take kindly to someone else claiming they are making currency.

    He'll find himself in prison if he isn't careful


    +1
    http://www.fbi.gov/charlotte/press-releases/2011/defendant-convicted-of-minting-his-own-currency
  • chollagardenschollagardens Member Posts: 4,614 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    JnRockwall Posted


    quote:
    Originally posted by chollagardens

    Why buy .999 coppper coins when you can have 75% copper coins mixed in with 25% nickle for only five cents. They are worth more than melt value and cost over eleven cents to make. The US goverment is and has been pondering changing the content to steel or other metals.




    If you are talking about nickels, I think they are 100% nickel. I never heard they had copper in them




    Composition



    The nickel comprises 75 percent copper and 25 percent nickel, making its name a bit of a misnomer. From 1942-1945, when nickel became a valuable metal during the World War II effort, the composition changed to 56 percent copper, 35 percent silver and 9 percent manganese. These coins are prized by collectors for their silver content.


    Dimensions



    The nickel weighs 5 grams and has a diameter of 21 mm. It has a plain edge, unlike the reeded edge of most American coinage.



    Read more: The Metal Composition of a Common Nickel Coin | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/facts_6863556_metal-composition-common-nickel-coin.html#ixzz1jdGthta0

    I wish nickles were 100% nickle as nickle is worth over twice as much as copper.
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