You Make the Call: Coin Collector or Future Copper Mogul

[sechs]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n68Z96iinuA

[Handruin]

That's interesting. I'd like to know more about how it sorts between the two. Maybe the copper are heavier?

[Tea]

OK. Errrrr.... why?

[Handruin]

Natural curiosity for fun gadgets.

[Tea]

Unnn .. not "why did you find it interesting", why would anybody do that in the first place?

I watched it all the way through, finding a peculiar pleasure in watching and listening to someone who obviouly loves going to a lot of trouble to do something apparently entirely pointless and who likes to share that pleasure with other people, never seeming to wonder who on earth could possibly be interested in such a non-hobby. There, I think, lies the charm: he is not preaching or looking for converts or trying to persuade you that sorting valueless coins will change your life and make you a better human being (or possibly a better ape, depending on your species) .... nope .... he's just sharing something he likes to do.

I have no idea why he likes doing it, but that's OK.

Excuse me, I have to get back to business now.

(Sorry?)

(Oh, what am I doing that's so important? Well, just routine stuff. I'm helping Tannin sort through his collection of photographs of the inside of obsolete computer components.)

[timwhit]

I think there is a higher chance that a copper penny is rare than a zinc one. This would aid in sorting through hundreds of pennies very quickly.

[sechs]

If I recall correctly, this device is an off-shoot of a discussion on a board concerning hoarding the older copper alloy pennies for their copper. The value of the copper in these pennies is currently greater than one cent.

Copper is heavier than the zinc used in the newer copper-clad pennies, so the machine likely sorts by weight.

A far more entertaining thing to do with pennies is file the side with a triangle file and soak it in dilute hydrochloric acid. The zinc will disolve, leaving the copper cladding -- which floats. A fun parlor trick (if you have a well-stocked parlor).

[Mercutio]

It costs $.014 to make a zinc penny and as I understand it, copper is at an all time high price on commodity markets right now. Something like $4/lb.

[Tannin]

We dropped copper coins, oh, maybe 5 to 10 years ago. The 1c and 2c coins stopped circulating quite a while back.

I'd prefer that they dropped the useless damn 5c coin too: you can't buy anything worth having with any sensible number of them, so why bother?

Rough value translation for USians:

1c = 0.7c US
2c = 1.4c US
5c = 3c US

Hell, it's past tiime they dropped the useless, awkward 50c coin and replaced it with a $5 coin, dropping the current $5 note. Oh, and introduced a $500 note.

That would give us a sensible system as follows:

Silver coins:
10c
20c
Gold coins:
$1
$2
$5
Notes:
$10
$20
$50
$100
$500

[sechs]

A lot of people are surprised that dollar coins cost the US government less than dollar bills.

Considering that your average bill lasts about 18 months, and your average coin about 20 years, that the bill costs less than half to make doesn't seem to quite cover it.

[CityK]

http://www.protocase.com/www/project/project-august2006.asp

[ddrueding]

Isn't it illegal to destroy currency? Not that I especially care, but trying to go commercial with something that encourages illegal activity seems not smart.

[sechs]

In the U.S., generally, yes. Send the stuff to Canada, and it's a different story.