Need help filling a piggy bank...

[oldmilwaukee6er]

i am looking for ideas for what to put in a small Chinese piggybank purchased two years ago...

 

the opening is the size of a quarter (wide as a nickel, but precisely a quarter in length), which definitely thwarted my idea to fill it w/ 1 oz silver rounds.

 

i collected 1 oz world silver coins around the millennium, but in looking around the internet this morning i was having a hard time finding 1/2 silver rounds or smaller silver coins. also, i was surprised to see how expensive some of the individual coins are now (& spot at $17, holy...). which made me think to come over here and see if any collectors had any cool ideas on what i can fill it with?

 

here are a few thoughts...

* must be about the size of a quarter;

* would prefer some precious metal content;

* would prefer something w/ potential upside over 30-40yr period;

* shouldn't be something "proof" cause it is just going to knock around;

* definitely open to some sort of world currency or something;

* budget... $200

 

i guess the thought is to make the piggybank a real treasure to a granddaughter in 40yrs.

 

 

[MunkyMan95]

Why not silver Washington, Standing Liberty, and/or barber quarters? Washingtons were silver until 1964, and Standing Libs and Barbers are all 90% silver. They can be had for around melt (which is currently over 12X face), and at 90% silver, they should hold their value.

[MTHead-migration]

Silver State Quarter Proofs.

[oldmilwaukee6er]

Why not silver Washington, Standing Liberty, and/or barber quarters? Washingtons were silver until 1964, and Standing Libs and Barbers are all 90% silver. They can be had for around melt (which is currently over 12X face), and at 90% silver, they should hold their value.

 

if i picked up a coin collecting magazine at the bookstore, do you think i would find a places to buy from? forgive me, but it has been sometime since i bought coins and i only really bought world silver off of eBay.

 

12x face would be $6/ea... correct?

[MunkyMan95]

Why not silver Washington, Standing Liberty, and/or barber quarters? Washingtons were silver until 1964, and Standing Libs and Barbers are all 90% silver. They can be had for around melt (which is currently over 12X face), and at 90% silver, they should hold their value.

 

if i picked up a coin collecting magazine at the bookstore, do you think i would find a places to buy from? forgive me, but it has been sometime since i bought coins and i only really bought world silver off of eBay.

 

12x face would be $6/ea... correct?

 

You could go to almost any coin shop and the dealer should have silver quarters that you can get at melt. Shops around here have bags and bags of them. If there's not a shop near you, you can find lots on eBay of silver quarters, no problem.

 

12 X 0.25 = $3. Some dealers might charge a little bit over that. If you want to be exact, with silver at $17.11 ask per ounce right now, a silver quarter melts for $3.09.

[oldmilwaukee6er]

i think barber quarters at melt or G/VG are a definite contender! (thumbs u

 

is there any new world coinage that would fit the bill?

[jackson64]

Barbers don't usually sell at melt very often....a nice bank of Mercury dimes would be a treat for a granddaughter....

 

I don't usually give away some of my secrets,,,but http://www.apmex.com ....wholesale silver dealer...sells old silver coins at melt value...the best place for someone like you who is trying to fill up a bank for cheap...also with older coins..

[jtryka]

You could also use foreign silver coins that were pegged to the US Dollar, like 1/4 silver Balboas from Panama, or silver 25c from Cuba from before the revolution. They would have the silver content and be a fun fund (and not easily spent!).

[oldmilwaukee6er]

Barbers don't usually sell at melt very often....a nice bank of Mercury dimes would be a treat for a granddaughter....

 

I don't usually give away some of my secrets,,,but http://www.apmex.com ....wholesale silver dealer...sells old silver coins at melt value...the best place for someone like you who is trying to fill up a bank for cheap...also with older coins..

 

well, i pulled out the old redbook after posting and kept doing a little more research.

 

i really like the idea of mercury dimes! they are an attractive coin, the war/depression years, and i found a few places online that sold them at or around melt... plus looking at your link this morning.

 

at first i found mixed bags of "junk silver" but then i was able to find smaller bags of just dimes, etc.

 

mercury dimes are the leader!