can my bad zink penny be sold as scrap metal

As long as it’s somewhat recognizable as a coin, isn’t the bank obligated to replace it? Or just roll it up in a coin roll and cash it in that way.
 
If they are not accepted by a coin counting machine, no banks or retailers have to accept them either. They can if they decide to.
The US Mint mutilated coin reimbursement program is temporarily ceased, as you can read about here: https://www.usmint.gov/news/consumer-alerts/mutilated-coin-program
Personally, I don't think it's a feasible program for most cases anyway. You have to clean and sort them, pay shipping, and only get partial value reimbursement.

As far as melting, I haven't found the exact statutes about it yet, but I understand it is illegal to melt pennies or non-silver nickels for profit, but it's OK to melt 'em down for other purposes. So no intentional scrapping allowed. Any metal artists out there using zinc pennies?
Not sure about dimes, quarters, etc.
 
Fill all those "Take a Penny, Leave a Penny" cups at retailers in your entire city, county, state, or the whole USA. Or make your own buried treasure horde in your backyard for a future metal detectorist can find. :D

Zinc pennies are worthless and besides a rare few I never had any luck passing them off in change at stores, bank, or Coinstar. The ones I can not cash in after a rock tumbler cleaning get tossed into quart sized freezer bags. I assume one day I'll find a use for them that doesn't involve littering handfuls of pennies as I walk, or trash canning them.

Yes melting coins in the US for a profit is not a good idea. See this article when metal prices went crazy and the fall out, and the follow-up article by the US Mint.
 
The seeding comment reminded me of something funny I did years ago. I had a large collection of books, maybe a hundred. Some given to me, many I bought. All about my many hobbies.
Well, I was getting rid of them. Just didn't need them anymore. I loaded them into my truck, back seat. Everywhere I went for the next 6 months I'd carry one with me across the parking lots. Invariably there'd be an open car window. One book for you was my saying as I slid a volume through the window slit. That's a hundred books mind you. I never got to witness the recipients face and look of confusion as the discovered a copy of "theory of combustion Engines" laying on their passenger seat. "Sailfish on the Fly Rod", where the hell did this come from? "The Birds of Brazil" WHAAAT? I like to think I started many interesting conversations and investigative puzzles as the poor devils tried to figure out, where in the world did a copy of "Triassic plant evolution come from.
 
As long as it’s somewhat recognizable as a coin, isn’t the bank obligated to replace it? Or just roll it up in a coin roll and cash it in that way.

Contrary to popular belief banks are not Required to accept any coins or paper money they do not wish to accept.

Zinc pennies that will not clean up enough to go thru a coin counter are only good for throwing in the trash.

I haven't checked lately but at one time I checked and the U S Mint would not accept them.
 
Contrary to popular belief banks are not Required to accept any coins or paper money they do not wish to accept.

Zinc pennies that will not clean up enough to go thru a coin counter are only good for throwing in the trash.

I haven't checked lately but at one time I checked and the U S Mint would not accept them.

Melting zinc can be a bit hazardous so toss them in the trash where they belong.
 
thanks all , yes i put what i can in the star coin machine,and take what is good to my my bank were they do not charge me to use the counting machine ,, so i have to sort my penny's after cleaning ,, Hf tumbler ,, any one see the bag og wheats pennys you can buy ,, it kinka devalues wheats when you can buy a bag of them ,,but i have been keeping them :cool:
 
i do not think credit union take rolls of penny or not ? its my job to keep cleaning up change and put it back in the system ,,
 
i do not think credit union take rolls of penny or not ? its my job to keep cleaning up change and put it back in the system ,,

Often times it's up to the local branch if they do accept rolled change or not; however, almost all do not unless it is from a business depositing a roll that was wrapped from the bank. The last few places that I knew who did take rolls would empty them into their change counter anyway to ensure what was in them.
 
Contrary to popular belief banks are not Required to accept any coins or paper money they do not wish to accept.

Zinc pennies that will not clean up enough to go thru a coin counter are only good for throwing in the trash.

I haven't checked lately but at one time I checked and the U S Mint would not accept them.

Thanks for clarifying.
 
The crappy ones go straight into the trash. I tried a while back to send some acceptable ones through my tumbler and cash em in. It was a big jar full of mixed change.The coins were just fine, but the bank refused to take them until I threatened to close my account and go somewhere else that would be happy to take my money. They eventually caved in and ran them through the sorter. Haven't tried bringing my change to a bank since. I'll bet I have five hundred bucks worth built up in jars laying around the house.
 
The crappy ones go straight into the trash. I tried a while back to send some acceptable ones through my tumbler and cash em in. It was a big jar full of mixed change.The coins were just fine, but the bank refused to take them until I threatened to close my account and go somewhere else that would be happy to take my money. They eventually caved in and ran them through the sorter. Haven't tried bringing my change to a bank since. I'll bet I have five hundred bucks worth built up in jars laying around the house.

I suggest you tumble clean all those coins, and ask to make an appointment at your bank. Tell them that you dug them and cleaned them, and need some time with a counting machine. I bet if you get an appointment, they won't have as much attitude. Be aware that too many rejected coins may cause the machine to stop, so an attendant has to clear and restart it. This usually happens when I rerun the rejects. Good luck. Coins are heavy. Too many at one time becomes a burden.
 
Just toss them in the jar with the rest of the pennies. My 5 mason jars full of pennies look nice on the shelf. The ugly ones take up space and help fill the jar.
 
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