hotshot Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 . . . . Backstory: When I was very young, I figured out that if I put a penny on the gas stove, get it super hot, I could then bend it with a couple of pliers. I thought I had bent the unbendable, Then proceeded to bend many more pennies. Some time later, I went to the shed, found a vice, and found I could do it without heat. Feeling all proud of myself, I showed off my bent pennies to my Dad. Unexpectedly, Dads reply was, "Why would you want to do that?" I didn't understand why he didn't think that was the coolest thing ever . . . Fast forward to today . . . . I got a copper penny, and beat the crap out of it until it was the size of a 50 cent piece. (Some of you immediately thought of train tracks). Then I cut out one of my older half dollar sized patterns. The result is totally impractical as Jewelry as it it fragile, and not my best cutting (cutting very thin material is hard), but still, feeling good about doing something cool/destructive with a penny, just like 40 some years ago---------Randy tomsteve, lawson56, bobscroll and 4 others 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Hey Randy, that is pretty cool! I have a question that I know you have addressed on another site. What are the legalities of cutting up U.S. Coins? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotshot Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) Ah, yes, this comes up a lot. The law says that you can do whatever you want to coinage, with one major caveat: You can not deface a coin in an effort to defraud. For example, alter one coin to look like a more valuable coin by changing the mint mark or denomination. Fraudulent intent is the key word, and the phrase that protects coin cutters or machines that flatten pennies at Disney. The below exerpt taken from "www.treasury.gov" (https://www.treasury.gov/resource-center/faqs/Coins/Pages/edu_faq_coins_portraits.aspx) ---------------------- Is it illegal to damage or deface coins?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. ----------------------- Hope that helps. -------Randy Edited January 5, 2016 by hotshot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dgman Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Thanks Randy! I already knew the answer, just thought the folks here would want to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newfie Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 That's cool Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wombatie Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 The child inside us never leaves they are always there. That is one very cool looking piece Randy. :thumbs: Marg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lawson56 Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 I agree that is one Awesome piece! Thanks for the Info. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DWSUDEKUM Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Love that Randy. That came out great. Always knew that you could deface coins as long as you did not try to pass it off as another value otherwise those penny rolling machines would not have been so popular in the carnivals and amusement parks. What got you into coin cutting Randy? DW Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordster Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Great idea and fantastic cutting.....I use to flatten them and use them on my fishing line as lures and weight....on the train tracks by the way. Canada has done away with the penny,so now I have a use for the ones I have saved. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ike Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 Tha'ts a nice looking piece. thanks for showing Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amazingkevin Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 . . . . Backstory: When I was very young, I figured out that if I put a penny on the gas stove, get it super hot, I could then bend it with a couple of pliers. I thought I had bent the unbendable, Then proceeded to bend many more pennies. Some time later, I went to the shed, found a vice, and found I could do it without heat. Feeling all proud of myself, I showed off my bent pennies to my Dad. Unexpectedly, Dads reply was, "Why would you want to do that?" I didn't understand why he didn't think that was the coolest thing ever . . . Fast forward to today . . . . I got a copper penny, and beat the crap out of it until it was the size of a 50 cent piece. (Some of you immediately thought of train tracks). Then I cut out one of my older half dollar sized patterns. The result is totally impractical as Jewelry as it it fragile, and not my best cutting (cutting very thin material is hard), but still, feeling good about doing something cool/destructive with a penny, just like 40 some years ago ---------Randy You like cutting metal ,I like polishing metal.I have customers for cut coins but haven't the machine to cut them anymore.Isn't that the way it always goes,lol.Quick question ,Do you nuse a ball peen or a flat nose hammar!Good job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
penquin Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 That is different. Glad to see you are always thinking of different ways to do stuff. That is what keeps our interest going and we all get new ideas. jim penquin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LarryEA Posted January 5, 2016 Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 I like your cutting and your story. Everyone should tell a story with their work........ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotshot Posted January 5, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 5, 2016 (edited) What got you into coin cutting Randy? DW Occasionally, there is a mention of coin cutting on the forums, and I'm always looking for something different. I googled coin cutting and found some amazing stuff that really interested me, but none of the "good" stuff was being done on the scroll saw as they were being cut by hand frames with jewelers blades. Even the jewelers blades have a disclaimer about being used in a scroll saw. This totally babbled me, so I set out to determine if the scroll saw could indeed handle "detailed coin cutting." I love a challenge. After some experimenting and some success, I caught the bug, and proved that the scroll saw is very adept at this kind of work. Kevin, I don't have a lot of experience with flattening coins, so was just using a short handle sledge and using the back anvil that is a part of my vice. Real anvils are very expensive. I would love to have a better way to expand out the coins. I also spread out a quarter to the size of an Eisenhower. I have been thinking about heating up the coins with a mini torch to see if I could do this easier. Those of you that work with metal a lot probably have a better way. -------Randy Edited January 6, 2016 by hotshot Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kywoodmaster Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 Randy: Have you ever considered using Copper roof flashing? It would be close to the thickness of a penny, could be cut to any diameter and should be available at any higher end building supply or roofing company. Would be a little more expensive. Just a thought. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hotshot Posted January 6, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 Have you ever considered using Copper roof flashing? Good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heppnerguy Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 Randy, That is an amazing bit of coin cutting. I always enjoy looking for your posts and see what you will come up with next. I was not expecting to see this one when I opened the post. I still need to give it a try some time..i sure enjoyed the tutorial you posted. It will come in handy when i decide to give this a go.. Dick heppnerguy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobscroll Posted January 6, 2016 Report Share Posted January 6, 2016 I think you are a frustrated artist Randy! ....Meaning you are always trying new ideas and pushing the envelope to be creative and innovative! Me thinks LOL, By the way I think you are doing Great Randy, Thanks for showing, Bob Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Young_Scroller Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 looks good, coin cutting is pretty cool, you could always leave the coins on a train track to make them bigger, lol just kidding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fish Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 Fantastic work, amazes me what you do with coins. Great job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fab4 Posted January 7, 2016 Report Share Posted January 7, 2016 Fantastic work, amazes me what you do with coins. Great job. Fish: If what Randy does with coins amazes you, You should see what the wife does with mine (and my paper money too)......lol Just kidding Randy does do fantastic work. Fab4 bobscroll 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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