Alchemy for Paul? Turn your pennies into gold.

[kotetu]

Although I think it would be pretty hard to pull this off on a large scale, one neat way to protest the FED would be for each of us to turn all of our pennies into gold and then put them back into circulation. This will be a solidarity effort to show the US Government that we want our dollars to be backed by a commodity, be it gold, silver, or copper. It is a protest against fiat money, which is the same as monopoly money.

What do you guys think? if everyone who donated to RP did 10 we'd have 1 million + "gold" pennies in circulation. :)

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/428318/make_gold_and_silver_pennies/

EDIT:

For those who may wonder if this is legal, the answer is YES. Though last year the congress passed a law against melting pennies and nickels, they specifically included Exceptions. The prohibition "shall not apply to the treatment of these coins for educational, amusement, novelty, jewelry, and similar purposes as long as the volumes treated and the nature of the treatment makes it clear that such treatment is not intended as a means by which to profit solely from the value of the metal content of the coins." Therefore, if you're not melting them down in massive quantities to make money by selling the copper, it's A-OK.

See these links for more info:
http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=press_release&ID=771
http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/consumer/FedRegNotPDF5111(d)Regulations121106.pdf

[Nyte]

awesome!

[Paulitical Correctness]

I don't fuck with chemicals, man. :/

Chemicals and chainsaws...:shudder:

:(

[Soccrmastr]

is this legal lol?

[Psych0t]

is this legal lol?

I don't see how it's any different to writing in permanant marker on other "legal tender"

[kotetu]

I think disneyland would be in trouble if it were illegal to damage pennies. :)

[kotetu]

I'm going to start doing this to every penny I come in contact with. :D

[ValidusCustodiae]

Okay, I wanna know how this works. Sodium hydroxide contains sodium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Zinc is just zinc. The penny also contains zinc and copper.

Where is the gold coloring coming from? Is it an alloy of zinc and copper?

[Acidlump]

Okay, I wanna know how this works. Sodium hydroxide contains sodium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Zinc is just zinc. The penny also contains zinc and copper.

Where is the gold coloring coming from? Is it an alloy of zinc and copper?

spraypaint?

[amy31416]

Okay, I wanna know how this works. Sodium hydroxide contains sodium, oxygen, and hydrogen. Zinc is just zinc. The penny also contains zinc and copper.

Where is the gold coloring coming from? Is it an alloy of zinc and copper?

Here's a detailed description of the chemistry behind it, if you want a layman's version of it, I'll be happy to explain: http://acpcommunity.acp.edu/Facultystaff/genchem/GC1/lab/experiments/pennies.pdf

[MalcolmGandi]

It IS legal to destroy pennies. Only pennies, no other denomination. So yeah, go ahead.

[kotetu]

I'd be stoked if I started to see gold colored pennies in my change. :)

[RCRanger03]

this would be awesome ... it has the possibilty of getting very big very fast and it doesnt require any coordination.

I'm going to keep this bumped for a while and see if it catches on

as for me every penny i touch from now on is going gold

[kotetu]

For those who may wonder if this is legal, the answer is YES. Though last year the congress passed a law against melting pennies and nickels, they specifically included Exceptions. The prohibition "shall not apply to the treatment of these coins for educational, amusement, novelty, jewelry, and similar purposes as long as the volumes treated and the nature of the treatment makes it clear that such treatment is not intended as a means by which to profit solely from the value of the metal content of the coins." Therefore, if you're not melting them down in massive quantities to make money by selling the copper, it's A-OK.

See these links for more info:
http://www.usmint.gov/pressroom/index.cfm?flash=yes&action=press_release&ID=771
http://www.usmint.gov/downloads/consumer/FedRegNotPDF5111(d)Regulations121106.pdf

[romeshomey]

People have been doing this for years, but its mostly done outside of our country. People have been taking our currency and melting it down for years because the base metals are worth more than the actual money itself. People have been buying rolls of coins and taking them out of the country and doing just what your suggesting for years, which is why a law was specifically passed recently to address the issue.

[kotetu]

Yes, exactly, and since we're doing it for amusement and to educate our fellow citizens, we're not constrained by the law. :)

[RCRanger03]

bump for gold pennies

[kotetu]

I posted this in my Legend forum as well. :)

[ValidusCustodiae]

Here's a detailed description of the chemistry behind it, if you want a layman's version of it, I'll be happy to explain: http://acpcommunity.acp.edu/Facultystaff/genchem/GC1/lab/experiments/pennies.pdf

Very interesting. Just as I thought, the so called "gold" pennies are actually brass. The so called "silver" pennies are pennies that have been recoated in zinc.

When you heat up the zinc coated penny, the top layer of zinc and copper becomes an alloy of brass.

Nifty.

[Corydoras]

You want an honest reaction? This seems a lot of work for not very much payoff... the meaning is not obvious to anyone else... and it doesn't specifically help the election of Ron Paul...
:o

[cero]

oh pennies... man here I was getting the wrong idea

[kotetu]

not a whole lot of work, especially when spread among thousands of people. A small message can become huge. Look at the idea of putting ronpaul2008.com on the dollars. I've heard very good things about that.

[Hook]

People have been doing this for years, but its mostly done outside of our country. People have been taking our currency and melting it down for years because the base metals are worth more than the actual money itself. People have been buying rolls of coins and taking them out of the country and doing just what your suggesting for years, which is why a law was specifically passed recently to address the issue.

Yep, I knew they'd eventually make it illegal to melt pennies. God forbid they actually quit inflating the money supply to fix the real problem.

[kotetu]

that's the reason for the protest! :D

[Fields]

that's the reason for the protest! :D

$2300????

Cmon you two should be a part of the $4600 club!!!!!

[amy31416]

Very interesting. Just as I thought, the so called "gold" pennies are actually brass. The so called "silver" pennies are pennies that have been recoated in zinc.

When you heat up the zinc coated penny, the top layer of zinc and copper becomes an alloy of brass.

Nifty.

Word up. Chemistry is "nifty"

[kotetu]

$2300????

Cmon you two should be a part of the $4600 club!!!!!

I'm working on it. :)

Now go make some gold pennies!