Not that the feds are going to take you in for melting pennies. But the queen is right about modern pennies. They're a copper shell over zinc. It's a common gen chem demonstration to etch a ring around the edge of a new penny and dissolve the zinc center in hydrochloric acid. It leaves just the copper shell. Neat experiment. My bathroom has a white porcelain and nickel motif going on. I might be up for a nickel version. The wrought iron unfinished is really cool, though. If I had my way, my bathroom would be all wrought iron and antiqued slab wood. Very medieval/mission.
I like the look of the nickel version. I've got a friend making a large wooden rack for my whole collection. This would be something good for the 'shave of the day' items.