It depends on how old the "copper" coins are. I've just checked 5 1p coins
(no 2ps in my pocket). 2 (shiny and new) are attracted to a magnet the
other 3 older ones are not.
Alan
They used to be solid copper alloy, changed to plated steel core some
time in the 80s IIRC. You can still find some of the older ones in
circulation, easy to find them with a magnet.
I think it may, strictly speaking, be illegal to deface coins, though
it's doubtful if they would cart you off to the tower for such a minor
matter.
David
It was a criminal offence to deface coins, but it was removed from law
some years ago. On a vaguely related note when the law was removed
those "squash a penny" machines appeared at various tourist spots.
Put a penny in the slot, and a larger denomination coin in the
machine, and it squashes the penny into a different shape. I've
always thought it might be fun to get a penny sized piece of very
tough steel and feed it in to one to see what happened. I spotted a
similar machine in Auckland museum the other week that worked on 10c
coins.
Regards
Kevin
It depends on the date
Bronze (97% copper, 2.5% zinc, 0.5% tin) to September 1992
Copper plated steel since September 1992 except in 1998 when the 2p
was made in both versions
Many thanks to all who responded. It was a relief to learn that
defacing coins is no longer a criminal offence! Using today's copper
price the metal content of a copper alloy 2p coin would cost around
0.42p.
Eh? I think you missed a decimal point.
A 2p coin weighs 7 grams, near enough. 147 of them contain a kilo of
copper. At 0.42p that would be 61.5p per kilo.
Today's LME price is £5,96 per kilo, or 4.05p per 2p coin.
Which is why they don't make 2p's from copper any more.
-- Peter Fairbrother
Oh, and it was still illegal to melt them down in 2007, and I haven't
heard of any changes in the law since.
I don't think it has anything to do with defacing the queen's image
though - the 2p in your pocket does not belong to you, it's a token that
the Bank of England will pay you 2p on demand if presented with it, and
as such it belongs to the Bank
As the legal possessor you own the right to claim 2p from the Bank, but
you do not actually own the coin itself.
Though how the bank are actually going to pay you 2p is - problematic.
-- Peter Fairbrother
On Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:43:43 +0100, Peter Fairbrother
Exactly so.
Thus proving that money is entirely a figment of everyone's
imagination. Soon you won't even be able to exchange
coins/notes/cheques - it will all just be numbers on your bank
statement. Terry Pratchett captured the idea perfectly in his
Discworld novel "Making Money" - excellent stuff!
Regards,
Tony
Glad someone else noticed! Also not often noted is the money is
created out of thin air and interest charged on the same money thats not
worth the paper it not printed on.
Wayne...
In my far off youth, I and other train spotters would walk down the
ramp at the end of the platform and put 1d coins on the track. Then
we'd wait to collect a very squashed penny after an express pulled by
a Castle or Hall class loco thundered through on its way to the west
country. The coins were definately defaced after this treatment.
Surprisingly, it was very rare to loose a coin doing this. I don't
think schoolboy trainspotters would be allowed to get so close to the
action nowadays!
John H
So here's a thought, with an engine weight of 77 tons, weight on the
Drivers of 57 tons and Axle loads of 19 tons and repetiton many times in
the minute it takes to pass
is it more effective to put the coin under Andrew's 79ton press or stick
it on the track at Didcot?
Robin
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