[SAJ]

You can, however, privately smelt damaged coinage quite legally...not to give anyone any ideas, naturally. $10.00 in silver coin is so far below the radar as to be unimaginable in any case. Collector's valuation is apt to be worth more than the metal value, certainly for pre-WW II flying eagle quarters.

[nopardons]

You aren't allowed to damage coins, but yes, I suppose that $10.00 in damaged coins could fly below the radar, IF she had kept her mouth shut.

Numismatists want mint or almost mint coins.

The coin market hit its peak in late '89-early '90. For the first time ever,value/prices actually went down and haven't regained the highs;AFAIK.