What to do with clad??

[darrenb]

Hey guys, I pulled out all of the boxes of clad that I have piled up over the years, and started cleaning it up. I have noticed that the zinc pennies are usually in horrible condition, and lots of the coppers aren't much better. I have been tumbling coins for a few days, but some of them just don't clean up. I went to my local bank, and they told me that if it wouldn't go through their coin machine, they couldn't take them. So.... what do I do with the bad ones? Can't melt them down for the copper value, and the bank won't take them. Should I just pave my driveway with them?
Thanks in advance!
Darren

 

[mudpuppy]

I hear ya, Man...I've got a whole coffee can of the things too...saving them for something, I dont know what. Some posters here say you can send them in to the mint, and they will reimburse you, but I can imagine the cost of shipping them negates the return on investment...so if you are feeling really mean, go scatter them out on a beach or totlot somewhere!

 

[darrenb]

Scattering them.... that is just plain evil! ( I love it!!) I had read that they could be sent to the mint as well, but I agree that shipping would just about cost what the coins were worth. Maybe one of those USPS flat rate boxes completely filled to the top with them. I'm sure my local mail man would want to burn my house down if I did that very often.

 

[Elton]

Coin Star machine at Grocery store took 98% .............. Kicked back a few..............Worth a shot if you have a machine in your local store for coins........

I did check with management before I loaded the coins.. They said give it a shot..

 

[Flintstone]

If you can find a bank that ships to the fed. old money, they will take it and pay you full for it. I can do it at my bank, and send it in at the end of the year. Have done it for the last 6 to 7 years.

 

[JOE in MD]

I dump them in the coin star machine and divide up the rejected ones into a couple sandwhich bags and give them to the homeless collecting on the corners( ONLY IF THEY LOOK LIKE THEY NEED IT).

 

[MarkCZ]

Corroded zinc's I throw away!
The rest I save and clean up (wash up) the best I can within reason, then I count and roll them up and take them to a bank and cash them in. (badly bent I also throw away)

Mark

 

[Larry (IL)]

A hammer works good on the bent ones.......

 

[MarkCZ]

A hammer works good on the bent ones.......

Well, at work I do have access to a 100 ton hydraulic press, the only problem is if you go to far then they look like a train ran over them.

Mark

 

[kai_gold]

I toss the really corroded ones.

 

[jim tn]

I use a hammer and pliers on the bent ones, tumble, roll and take them to the bank. A few really bad zinc's get thrown away, but my bank takes the rolls with no problem. HH jim tn

 

[jmaryt]

good idea mudd! why not use the "screwed up" ones
to "salt" the tot lots?.sound good to me! (lol!)

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[jmaryt]

yeah! coinstar for me too!.takes virtually all of 'em!
less hassle,and don't have to mess with 'em..just sayin'

(h.h.!)
j.t.

 

[TerraDigger]

Mark CZ...I would pay you for the satisfaction of personally being able to crush some zincolns with a 100 ton press. Aaaaahhhh....the satisfaction I would feel.
Please crush one/many...and post the pic It would be better than a pin-up....lol

 

[David]

Ultrasonic coin cleaning
http://www.findmall.com/read.php?18,1647619

I have a jewelery ultra-sonic cleaner my brother gave me and he was in the jewelery business for over 30 years and it is a top of the line machine. That being said does not do a very good job on coins. I myself use a double barrel tumbler with aquarium gravel and dishwashing soap and it works very well. JM2. HH

Or put your dirty and corroded coins in a polyester or nylon mesh bag(s) so the coins will not fall through the mesh size but soap and water will go through it easily. Then put it in the washing machine with your clothes. In the first soap cycle wash for a while then let it sit for an hour or so then let the rinse cycle come on to finish. My coins came out clean and shiney in the washing machine.

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

There is a program clad for kids.

 

[larryk56]

I have taken my clad to any soda machine that I can find.

I round up all the quarters. Drop a quarter in the machine ...
then hit the coin return button and it spits out new change!

Two Fresh dimes and a nickel!

Or ... another good place to exchange the clad is
the McDonalds drive through. I throw in a few
dirty coins with every order I place and the kids
who work there could care less.

HH