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Letter Re: Should We Still be Saving Nickels?
Dear James,
Do you still recommend saving nickels [as
you suggested in SurvivalBlog, in 2007]? Thanks for all you do. I'm planning
on ordering the new edition of your novel on April 8th, and I'm currently
re-reading the original [edition]. May God continue
to bless you and your family. Sincerely, - Steve B.
JWR Replies: Yes, nickels (American five cent pieces) are
still "the
pauper's silver". Since
base metals prices pulled back in advance of current the recession and have
remained low, it looks like we may have another one or two years available
to amass nickels. (For now, they are still being minted, with their long-standing
metal content--75%
copper, and 25% nickel.) But once double digit (or higher)
inflation kicks in, nickels will
likely be
the
first US
coins
to
be dropped
from circulation.
Zinc
pennies will follow soon after. In a major inflation cycle,
eventually all coins--except perhaps for ersatz coin plastic or aluminum
tokens--will be dropped, since their base metal content will begin to grossly
exceed their face
value.
