Counting Pennies

For about a year now, I go around to my local banks about once a month and buy all the 50 cent  pieces that they have and go home and search them.  I usually take about a $1000 with me and this is usually enough.  I go home and search them and then keep all the silver pieces out and return the regular ones.  Anything from 1965-1969 has 40% silver in it and anything from 1964 and before is 90% silver.  As of today, the price for a roll ($10) of 40% is $42.98 and a roll of 90% is $105.11. 

Just for a change, I decided to jump into pennies.  In 1982, pennies changed from 95% copper to mostly zinc.  Pennies made before '82 are really worth about 2.5 cents.  Most people are hoarding them right now waiting for copper to increase even more.  The mint is so worried that they just passed a law banning anyone from melting pennies.  I have been watching prices on ebay and the one guy I have been watching is getting $70 for $25 worth of copper pennies.  I sorted a box by hand yesterday.  If I am going to stay with pennies, I am going to have to invest in a machine to make it worth my time.  So next time you get your change, check it out.  It might be worth more than you think.