The legality of destroying United States coinage, particularly these containing silver, is a regularly requested query. The act of melting down coinage, whether or not for its intrinsic steel worth or every other function, is ruled by federal rules.
Traditionally, there have been durations the place the steel worth of sure cash exceeded their face worth, creating an financial incentive for melting. Nevertheless, present legal guidelines primarily goal to forestall the mass melting of cash that would disrupt the financial system or deface official forex. The worth of the valuable steel contained inside older cash can generally be vital, driving curiosity of their potential as a supply of uncooked materials.