Make Gold And Silver Pennies

TheAmateurArtisan says: Dec 30, 2011. 4:33 PM

Actually, I've done this and you are only making zinc copper and then brass alloys.

build a BOOM says: May 11, 2009. 7:32 AM

Just for all to know it is illegal to make a profit from changing coins, but not to destroy them or discolor.

jprather in reply to build a BOOMDec 20, 2011. 7:40 PM

ok heres my thought on this

is the gov't going to pay thousands of dollars for judges and every thing else just to put someone behind bars for a penny to me its common sense

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35Timmy in reply to build a BOOMSep 4, 2011. 9:30 AM

it's also illegel to melt coins unless you are goverment authorirzed such as the mint which the ,mint is allowed to sell it for more than it's worth

BlackFang171 in reply to build a BOOMJun 9, 2011. 11:51 PM

It is not illegal to profit from changing coins, when sold as novelties. it is illegal to profit by passing an altered coin as legal tender though. A trick that used to be common and is quite illegal was to shave a tiny bit off of the outside of many coins, and together that metal could be worth quite a bit. When added to the coins that still appeared to be legal tender, a profit was made.

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augur45 in reply to BlackFang171Oct 30, 2011. 9:07 AM

Shaving a bit off coins only worked when coins were made of pure silver or gold. And that was a long time ago...

Archarzel in reply to augur45Apr 20, 2013. 2:37 PM

Quarters were 90% silver up until 1964 and are currently traded for their mineral value to people as "junk silver" because you aren't allowed to melt them down, and it's easier just to exchange the coin for 90% of it's value ( $4 or so on a Washington quarter)

There are a large number of these still in circulation and tons (literally) of them are being traded back and forth so the risk of coin shaving is still a real thing.

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augur45 says: Oct 30, 2011. 9:11 AM

This is a great bit of chemistry. But since pennies are copper plated zinc, how about removing the copper plating to achieve these results?

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kasssa says: Dec 19, 2010. 9:36 PM

"Is it illegal to damage or deface coins?" has been asked a number of times, in different forms...

Here is the answer from the US Treasury - a reasonably authority on the topic (from http://treas.tpaq.treasury.gov/education/faq/coins/portraits.shtml#q13):

"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."

So if you're not doing this for fraudulent purposes, this is legal!

5STARGBLOOD says: Dec 2, 2010. 12:53 PM

just so eveery one knows if u do this in a glass jelly jar on a skillet make sure ur chemical balance is right or ull melt the glass then have to fumegate ur house of the smell i had a resperator on and i still felt sick after it

urbanprimate says: Mar 27, 2010. 2:32 AM

Who cares if it's illegal? Instructables are about physics, chemistry, etc. If you want to study law there are other sites for that. This is cool, and laws (except physical ones, which are the ones I care about) vary from one jurisdiction to the next as well as from one day to the next. Thanks for the info...I'll take responsibility for what I do with it, just as everyone should be responsible for their actions.

Awesome 'ible, btw.

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eulaliaaaa! in reply to urbanprimateAug 10, 2010. 9:12 AM

Yeah, it isn't illegal to make them, it is only illegal to put them back in circulation, i.e. Pay for things with them.

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the jimster says: Jun 27, 2009. 8:39 PM

what happens if you touch the stuff that makes the silver pennies

servion in reply to the jimsterJun 16, 2010. 5:00 PM

sodium hydroxide is a very strong base. It will first make the part of you body that touched it feel like it is all gooed up in soap. Then, if it is strong enough, it will burn you like an acid. Ah, and it also make holes in your clothes!

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rbneville says: Aug 13, 2008. 5:48 PM

does this only work with pennies or does it work with other metals?

fattymcbutterpants in reply to rbnevilleAug 14, 2008. 1:45 PM

it only works with copper, the combination of copper and zinc make bronze when heated. you can do it with copper pipe too, but that wouldn't be as cool.

servion in reply to fattymcbutterpantsJun 16, 2010. 4:56 PM

I think you make a mistake... You need Tin and copper to make bronze, not zinc and copper :P

fattymcbutterpants in reply to fattymcbutterpantsAug 14, 2008. 1:48 PM

oh and its not illegal, the coin will turn back to normal after a while, its only the surface that changes color.

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strmrnnr in reply to fattymcbutterpantsJul 13, 2009. 9:55 PM

You mentioned that the copper color would come back eventually. Do you have any stats or guesses as to how long it would take and if longer treatments would penetrate the surface deeper. Also if heat treating it to gold extends the treatment. How is the corrosions resistance. I am thinking of doing the pipes under the sink and leaving the area open to see the pipework.

eddypoe in reply to strmrnnrNov 2, 2009. 1:11 PM

I am not sure about durability, but there is the issue of zinc poisoning. While not usually deadly it can make you very sick. Boilermakers term it as "White Death" and the wacky part is if you drink milk it will neutralize the zinc with the calcium. So, probably not a good Idea for potable water supplies.

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woody558 says: Sep 28, 2009. 9:35 AM

Where can I get sodium Hydroxide and Zinc powder?

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Algag in reply to woody558May 4, 2010. 5:18 PM

it said drano and galvanized nails

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Celt says: Apr 18, 2010. 7:40 AM

Here in USA, if you want to have a memory of an amusement park, a zoo, or even the space center, you can put a penny and two quarters into a machine and have it stretched and embossed. This is a legitamate buissiness.

Mecharius says: Mar 9, 2010. 3:00 PM

And thus, we produce Brass!

mattcaron says: Feb 7, 2010. 3:38 PM

lol, galvanized pennies

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DragonX777 says: Nov 12, 2009. 9:01 AM

Yeah im trying to find out if i could turn half dollar coin to silver

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danlab in reply to DragonX777Jan 21, 2010. 9:21 PM

Unfortunately, a half dollar is mostly nickel (or silver for an older one) which would probably react differently, you could always try and if it didn't work you would only be out 50 cents.

Hexpigge in reply to DragonX777Jan 13, 2010. 2:13 PM

I dont know if its copper on it. You see, for this you need it to be copper on top :)

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chip123 says: Nov 5, 2009. 10:44 AM

at school, we heated a 2p in an altoids tin ontop of a bunsen burner, and then cooled it in water. it turned pink. if anyone knows why, please tell me.

paqrat says: Oct 17, 2009. 12:19 AM

The gold color is bronze then? I was wondering about using this to replate some old jewelry. I wouldn't want to make anything that wouldn't be safe to wear.
Could the zinc produce any reactions to skin?

sheepborg says: Oct 5, 2009. 7:23 PM

what else can i use besides the sodium hydroxide and drano b/c i dont think i could get either...

antienoob says: Jul 29, 2009. 1:49 AM

well this is a very long coment page and half of it is about the changed coin is illigel or not,but to be frank i really like this and may try it with one of my copper coins from sea world. ps. how long have these coments been going cose a cant be bothered to look lol.

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555mst555 says: Jul 18, 2009. 10:27 PM

OMG cooL!!!i'm gonna do it if i have the stuff and i wish that my country uses copper

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mega man 4bm says: Jul 6, 2009. 12:29 PM

To all who say this is illegal!!!!!

We did this in science class and I'm guessing we can't do illegal things as part of our curriculum.

This is 100% legal
Oh and I got free desert at school for just showing and old lunch lady my gold penny =)