Silver Spot Price In The 30s

The COMEX spot price for silver is now in the low 30s. The precious metal has been trending upwards for the past few weeks. 

Interestingly, the death of Iran's president and foreign minister seems to have carried gold and copper to record highs. Those metals are Iran's top exports. 

According to SchiffGold:

Amid ongoing tension in the Middle East, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and the foreign minister have been confirmed dead Monday after a helicopter crash. The officials’ shocking demise casts additional investor doubt on a region already plagued by economic upheaval, with supply chain uncertainties fueling record-high metal prices this week.

Here's the current COMEX spot price for silver:

What Is The Value of A 1943 Steel Penny?

Above, steel Lincoln pennies that were in a locked strongbox. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

When I opened a strongbox that was locked and stored in my closets over 23 years, since I had no key to it, I found a number of 1943 steel Lincoln pennies inside. 

I already had some that I placed in a Whitman penny album years ago. Those are in better condition that the ones from the strongbox.

United States Gold Bureau has posted an article titled, "What Is The Value of A 1943 Steel Penny?"

It begins with:

The 1943 steel penny is a highly sought-after vintage coin with a unique place in numismatics. Made from zinc-coated steel, it stands out due to its distinct appearance resembling a dime rather than a traditional penny. Discover the reasons behind its production, its value in the market, and how collectors can acquire these fascinating coins.

As the article states, these steel pennies are great tangible artifacts from the World War II era.

To read more, go here.

What Are Clad Coins?

Above, the copper cores can be seen on the edge of the coins. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

Since the passage of the Coinage Act of 1965, our coins have taken out the 90% silver content and replaced it with clad metals. This was made necessary as the silver going into the coins was more valuable than the face value of the coins.

Since then, collectors generally shun clad coins and concentrate collecting pre-1965 coins. I couldn't care less about uncirculated or proof sets of clad coins. As far as I am concerned, they're just pot metal and not worth anything except their face value.

What are clad coins?

The Epoch Times has posted an article answering that question.

They begin it with:

Some collectors call clad coins “the ugly ducklings of U.S. numismatics.” Do you know what these “ugly ducklings” are? In this guide, we’ll answer the question “What are clad coins?” and explain whether they make a good investment.

What Are Clad Coins?

Clad coins, also known as sandwich metal coins, are made of multiple metal layers. The vast majority of clad coins in circulation today have three metal layers.

Most U.S.-clad coins have a core of pure copper surrounded by two identical layers of a nickel-copper alloy resembling silver. The U.S. half-dollar, Washington quarters, and Roosevelt dimes are common examples.

To read more, go here.