Would YOU buy pennies?

[imktdqt810]

I know we want to get at least one roll of pennies to press while in the parks. Doing the math that will be 25.00 in quarters and .50 in pennies. To me a very reasonable, fun things to do while there. I went to my local bank to get a roll of new pennies since the boards said new pennies press better. The gal from the bank looked at my like I had two heads and said that I can only order a "mint" roll from the federal reserve and to look online at their site. I read the site and it looks like they don't really have mint rolls of pennies to sell...unless I missed it. Here is the thing....I saw on a "popular auction site" (not sure if I can post the site) that someone is selling one mint roll for 2.50 plus 2.00 shipping. So...would you spend an extra 4.00 for "mint" pennies? I also wonder if in the back of my head these are illegal pennies since one box in a picture shows a popular bank transport name on the opened box. So.....PLEASE tell you thoughts and ideas on this!! Thanks.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

Look again at the Mint site - they sell penny rolls:

http://catalog.usmint.gov/webapp/wc...1&parent_category_rn=10156&top_category=10156

No, I wouldn't buy pennies, but I don't collect pressed pennies either.

 

[zoemurr]

if you ask for them somewhere like a grocery store if they would trade you a roll for two quarters?

No, I would not buy pennies.

We used whatever pennies we had. Some came out great, some did not. Kids didn't care and it's a fun activity.

 

[wdwmom0f3]

I would go to your local banks and ask for a brand new roll of pennies. When I worked there years ago we had them most of the time. If you call ahead they may have a roll in the main vault that they can get out for you ahead of time. They won't think anything of it.

 

[disney fan4]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

 

[wdwmom0f3]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

Lemon juice will clean them too. I thought pennies were pennies. we have never gone to this kind of trouble for a pressed Pennie, but then again we don't collect them like some people do.

 

[sissy_ib]

No way I would pay more that $0.50 for a roll of pennies.

 

[imktdqt810]

Thank you for the honest replies. I really wasn't going to make a big to do about it. I have been looking with DS to "find" ones in the year he was born.....we've been looking whenever we get some pennies in our change from stores and only have about 4 so far =-( We leave in about 4 weeks and I didn't want to have to think twice about the pennies. It was just a whim of asking when I went to the bank and I got the funny look and was told to go to the reserve site. (lost- thank you for the direct link). I'm sure DS is not going to think twice if we have a new shiney roll or not. I'm sure he will just have fun finding the machines and pressing them. Thanks again!!

 

[Tink-aholic]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

These are getting harder and harder to find, now that people are hoarding them. As soon as they announce that the penny is no longer legal tender, those pennies will be worth a LOT for their copper value!

 

[momtosam]

These are getting harder and harder to find, now that people are hoarding them. As soon as they announce that the penny is no longer legal tender, those pennies will be worth a LOT for their copper value!

Interesting

 

[Tink-aholic]

Interesting

Here's a link: http://abcnews.go.com/Business/laws-change-penny-hoarders-cash-thousands-dollars/story?id=15076522#.UBsnmVLWPcw

 

[Hannathy]

You can get rolls of pennies at the bank for 50 cents but they won't be all new.Asking for all new is what is making it hard. At least at ours they have rolls of mixed pennies but not all new ones. (I never knew you could buy all new!)


Ketchup cleans them up wonderfully.

 

[Dopey420]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

THIS!

We went thru our piggy banks and found pre-82 pennies.

 

[sherreis]

I cleaned the really dirty pennies with vinegar. But, otherwise, just used normal pennies.

 

[MineMail]

These are getting harder and harder to find, now that people are hoarding them.

Doesn't this also take them out of circulation? The penny gets destroyed, so if everyone starts using 1981 pennies for pressing, that will reduce the number in use as well.

There are more plentiful sources of copper. Apparently, thieves have been targeting the copper phone wires on telephone poles and gutting people's outside a/c units while they're on vacation. Not to mention the empty/foreclosed homes that are broken into and robbed of copper wiring/plumbing.

 

[MineMail]

I cleaned the really dirty pennies with vinegar. But, otherwise, just used normal pennies.

Vinegar and salt works best, ime. Good for copper-bottomed pots as well.

 

[disney fan4]

Vinegar and salt works best, ime. Good for copper-bottomed pots as well.

Doesn't this also take them out of circulation? The penny gets destroyed, so if everyone starts using 1981 pennies for pressing, that will reduce the number in use as well.

I forgot that I also put salt in with the vinegar. When we went on vacation there hadn't been any talk about the pre 1982 pennies possibly being any more valuable. Like previous poster said, I already had plenty in my change jar, so i had no clue people were hoarding them.

 

[Tink-aholic]

Doesn't this also take them out of circulation? The penny gets destroyed, so if everyone starts using 1981 pennies for pressing, that will reduce the number in use as well.

There are more plentiful sources of copper. Apparently, thieves have been targeting the copper phone wires on telephone poles and gutting people's outside a/c units while they're on vacation. Not to mention the empty/foreclosed homes that are broken into and robbed of copper wiring/plumbing.

You are talking about THIEVES, whereas I mentioned people who are purchasing pennies legally as an investment. Not even close to the same thing.

In the article I referenced, one person had collected $270K in pre-1982 pennies, and hundreds of people are doing it. I don't think that a few kids with $0.50 worth in souvenirs will compare.

 

[MomToOne]

The best pennies to use are pre 1982. After 1982 they were made with copper and zinc and when you press you may get a smear. Pre 1982 pennies are solid copper. There is a great thread http://disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1185787&highlight=pressed+penniesed with lots of good tips. We just collected pre 1982 pennies and cleaned in vinegar then a little light rubbing with a pencil eraser and they look like brand new pennies

I admit I bought 2 rolls of pre-1982 pennies a few years ago on eBay, for just this reason

 

[TifffanyD]

Vinegar and salt works best, ime. Good for copper-bottomed pots as well.

I used Comet and it worked pretty well!