This type of 'ban' suggests to me that we don't really OWN anything... even the spare change in our pockets!

Once upon a time, when you worked for something [ie: currency] it become completely -and without question- your property, to do with as you personally saw fit.

I grew up with the understanding that it was illegal to 'deface' American coinage or the flag. To me, that meant that you didn't etch your picture in place of Washingtons on a quarter or sew sequins over the stars on Old Glory -logical, since this would render them pretty useless [well: at least in the case of the quarter!] and I always thought the governmental rule was in place to reinforce the respect these common cultural icons represented. BUT: I always somehow retained the right to do as I chose with them.

Well: the US Mint can go fuck themselves. whether the pennies are in my pocket or in a Miracle Whip jar in my backyard THEY BELONG TO ME and I'll nail them on an old plank in the shape of a dollar-sign if I choose to do so! I can cut them, bend them, drill them, hammer them, and yes: melt them down if I want and defy anyone to tell me otherwise.

As a poster cogently stated above: once they're melted you can't really tell what they were originally, now can you?

Truthfully: the only thing that makes me NOT do something like smelting pennies is not this new ban... it's just not worth my time and effort to do so... but by God, I'll certainly do it if I want!