Perhaps the demise of the humble penny, the thinking goes, will eventually bring an end to the melting ban – positioning owners of the coins to cash in on their mountains of cheap copper.

Are your old pennies worth a lot of money? Experts say you shouldn't bank on it. However, some wheat pennies could be worth a lot.

Another option is to invest in coins for their melt value. This mostly applies to silver coins, although you can do the same thing with copper coins as long as you follow strict guidelines.

OLYPHANT — As the U.S. Mint prepares to produce the final pennies put into circulation early next year, the future of the copper-colored coin has sparked conversation among collectors and shop ...

But older pennies are worth their weight in copper. Pennies made before 1982 are worth about 3 cents a piece. Although you can sell them to a coin shop, you can’t melt them down.

But older pennies are worth their weight in copper. Pennies made before 1982 are worth about 3 cents a piece. Although you can sell them to a coin shop, you can’t melt them down.