Five-Cent Wedding Band

Step 8 Done!

Marvel at your new look!

Note: In all candor, I do not personally find this to be an especially attractive ring although I do wear it daily. I think it would be a lot nicer if you can find a thicker coin to use, I'm currently looking for a thicker bronze coin to replace it with.

Comments

[Maker Mark]

The Henry Ford and other museums I have been to would be in some hot water if this was illegal. Most of them have a machine that will take a penny and squish it into a shape and then stamp it.

[zer0_da_hero]

US CodeTitle18, part 1, Ch 17 U.S.C. §331:

Whoever fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates, impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales or lightens any of the coins coined at the mints of the United States, or any foreign coins which are by law made current or are in actual use or circulation as money within the United States; or whoever fraudulently possesses, passes, utters, publishes, or sells, or attempts to pass, utter, publish, or sell, or brings into the United States, any such coin, knowing the same to be altered, defaced, mutilated, impaired, diminished, falsified, scaled or lightened - shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than five years, or both. (Emphasis added.)

It is indeed illegal but the key word there is "fraudulently'

According to The New York Times, it cost the US Mint 1.73 cents for every penny and 8.74 cents for every nickel it makes. In 2006, in addition to the law already in the books, congress passed a ban on destroying US coins where the metal will be serve other uses. So maybe those museums are in violation of the laws but may have an exeption within the law that we private citizen does not.

[negu74]

key phrase is in 'actual use or circulation as money'. You own the nickle by your possession of it, and therefore it is not being used as money and when you deface it, you are defacing your own money and taking it out of circulation.

in other words, it's legal to do this. people, please. Don't automatically assume you are doing something wrong just because the government languages things to scare you.

Clearly you're in hot water if you go hammering pennies or ripping or writing on dollars you intend to use as money. the moment you spend that money, you are breaking that law above.

[kgranger]

If you go to Busch Gardens or many other theme parks like it, they have machines that you pay $.50 to put your own $.01 (Penny) into and it imprints the penny with the picture that you choose and the parks logo right in front of your eyes.

[tuckersaspy]

the point of this is you cant cut off shavings and then use the coin for its full value (also why dimes and quarters have ridged edges). if youre using it for a project that makes it unusable as a coin it should be fine i would think

[zer0_da_hero]

Thats why I placed enphasis on "frauulently" however, in 2006, congress expanded the law. The argument was that when people destroy coins, they cost tax payers >real< money. Also, there were a lot of people destroying coins and using the metal for profit in one way or another. Congress agreed and expanded the law so that people aren't supposed to destroy coins due to the burden it puts on tax payers to replace them and to keep poeple from making a profit by destroying coins. I'm pretty sure you aren't aware that some coins are is worth more than theri face value, congress closed that loophole. They agreed that some people don't destroy coins to defraud but to either sell the metal or make objects out of them for profit and that those acts needed to be illegal. Lots of people haven't been made aware of the revise

Hey, thats the law. I had nothing to do with it so arguing it with me is pointless.

[tuckersaspy]

im sorry you thought i was arguing, im agreeing with the "fraudulently" part, i was just saying that i think this instructable is legal because of it, other than the 2006 revision i guess...

[zer0_da_hero]

You weren't argueing, I mispoke.

[JTomM129]

It would be interesting to get several coins with different alloys (colors) and slightly diameters and silver solder them together to make a broader ring. Maybe a "unified world" kind of idea.

my $0.02 - (sorry)

[abvnatter]

Though I'm not sure of the composition of silver solder other than %40 silver, thought others should be warned if they are going to use regular solder. be sure to use a lead free solder. Although they have a higher melting point than other tin/lead mix and a less reliable joint they are safer for items that are going to be handled. hands+lead=(whatever the emoticon is for a dead person). haha.
don't be sorry for your good idea jtomm129. I may make one.

[adre76]

can I make one with an 1 or 2 euro coin?
Thanks

[LordZ1978]

if you don´t have fat fingers!!! maybe you can make it.

[m.e.h]

How much does this ring cost? :))

[janettetsmith]

It's illegal to deface a U.S. coin, no it's not, yes it is ... Oy.

This should clear up any questions about the legalities of U.S. coinage defacing:

Question:
Is it illegal to damage or deface coins?

Answer:
Section 331 of Title 18 of the United States code provides criminal penalties for anyone who “fraudulently alters, defaces, mutilates impairs, diminishes, falsifies, scales, or lightens any of the coins coined at the Mints of the United States.” This statute means that you may be violating the law if you change the appearance of the coin and fraudulently represent it to be other than the altered coin that it is. As a matter of policy, the U.S. Mint does not promote coloring, plating or altering U.S. coinage: however, there are no sanctions against such activity absent fraudulent intent.

Translation:
No it is not.

Reference:
United States Department of the Treasury

[Juicy Fruit]

http://www.instructables.com/id/Make-a-silver-ring-for-25-cents/
theres the one with the beveled edge.

[Chicken Gutz]

In 1967 I made one for my girlfriend from a new nickel so it would have the present year on it. I was a machinist so it only took me about 5 minutes to make using a lathe. She doesn't know what ever happened to it. (she's my wife now) I believe prior to 1964 nickels were made with all nickel, but I would caution anyone wanting to use one from that era. You might just be destroying a coin worth a lot of money... Thanks for the memory!

[crazyg]

uk £5 coin for super sausage fingers :)

[azwebco]

I think this is illegal because you're destroying US currency but it's kind of like putting pennies on a train track and kind of cool none the less.

[coocooachoo568]

its not illegal.. only if your using the coin FRAUDENTALLY its illegal. In this case, its an art. so its NOT illegal. and if you want a silver ring, get a 1964 quarter or below and do this. ive made a quarter ring, since 1964 quarters were made of 80 or 90% silver. if you use a new quarter though, the copper will oxidize on your fingers and make them look like theyre bruised.

[yummahcupekakez]

ya... NO

[bladebaka]

actually, its only illegal if you SELL the removed product, attempt to overbalance the economy with it (i didn't really understand that part). as long as the coin/ bill is used in art ( a ring IS art, after all) it is okay.

[wokwithme]

Plus if you take the currency out of circulation or devalue it, then the government becomes richer. I don't think the Feds have a problem with that. :D

[Chocomarshfrog]

Under 1 $ and not for sale is OK.

[IcedShard]

As far as I know, you can deface currency, but you can't use it as currency. Like its legal to use those penny/coin pressers at the zoo/Disney world, but you can't buy something with an oval penny with mickey mouse on it

[excessive.insurgence]

theyve revoked the currency destruction for pennies only just because of those penny presses at amusment parks. but honestly id like to know who will even care if you waste five cents??

[Steeltowndude]

Your Great-Great-Uncle most likely used a half dollar coin. See, in the past, though I do not what time periods, the half dollar coins were about 90% silver.

[vithrar]

It's not actually illegal to destroy coins, in the U.S. anyway. Currently it is illegal to melt down pennies and nickels because their scrap value is greater than their face value.

[carniemechanic]

Pennies' scrap value is nil; they're no longer copper.

[Steeltowndude]

It's not illegal. As long as you don't try to pass off a coin to be worth more then it is, it's legal.

[steampunk-punk]

it is illegal. its also illegal to write on a dollar bill but its such a stupid law that they dont inforce it.

[DeLorean4905]

well, not pennies anymore. They changed that in '81. post-81 pennies are solid zinc, with a hair-thin copper coating. make a bunch of slices around the edge of a penny, and then drop it in some muriatic acid for a while. once all the zinc is dissolved, you have 2 copper disks that weigh about the same as a fingernail clipping.

[vithrar]

actually, 1982 was the transition year, where you can find both copper and copper-plated zinc pennies. Here's a crazy site that actually tells you the melt value of coins, and yeah, zinc pennies have a face value greater than scrap, but it's still illegal to melt them down.

[DeLorean4905]

.... yeah, "post-81 pennies".... anywho- oh, for a second I thought you said zinc pennies now have a higher value in scrap. I was like, crap what'll they use next?

[hintss]

plastic

[bob.smitty]

i think they are going to use wood or wax... there's a movement to eliminate the penny going on somewhere, but for some reason, it survives.

[SugargirlDesigns]

I've heard of this movement and find it to be stupid...more like moronic... It reminds me of the people who think that pennies are NOT worth anything and toss them on the ground or in the garbage! Yep, quite moronic! A penny is a penny, and a penny IS WORTH $0.01. Collect 100 of those babies and you've a DOLLAR!... Yeah, that's right. You then have $1.00. Collect 100 of those and you have $100.00. Must be nice to be able to afford to toss out your pennies, I guess. Ugh...

[Betelgeus3]

Except, due to inflation, a penny is worth a fifth of what it was 30-40 years ago. Yet, 30-40 years ago, we didn't need a coin worth 1/5th of a cent. So It's basically a net loss of money to continue making them.

[biffula]

It's because its a waste of time. Time to pick them up, carry them around, store them until you get 50 cents or a dollars worth, wrap them, then take them to the bank or to wherever you're going to spend them. We need to get rid of pennies.

[NastySpill]

 Here is Australia the 1 cent and 2 cent coins were phased out in the early 90's. Thats our version of your penny.
And pretty much everyone rejoiced. I can recommend you all get on that coin phaseout bandwagon.. and get vocal. Your pockets will be lighter and free of clutter.
Thats my $1 worth.

[pocketwatch]

It must be ghastly to have to keep track of all of your pennies.