You speak in contradictions. For example, a 1946-1964 Roosevelt dime has a face value of $.10 but a "melt value" of $1.2022 (today) according to <a href="http://www.coinflation.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.coinflation.com/</a><p>The U.S. government may not like it but there is little they can do about someone melting down coinage, especially outside the country. (But don't do it -- silver coins are worth more than their melt value).<p>Paper money is different, of course.