Missile copper wire

[JenMO]

We live in an area where there were missile sites scattered across the countryside. Years ago the missiles were taken out. Now the copper wire connecting the sites is being excavated and the landowners are being paid for this copper. Copper prices are high and some of the amounts are substantial. How is this taxable or taxable at all? Ordinary income on line 21? Could this be SE income if taken from farm land? I don't think so, but is there any other opinions? Could it be a reduction of cost of the land? I don't know if landowners were paid for an easement years ago when the missiles were put in, (Cuban missile crisis), but the land is now being used by the landowner.

[ChEAr$]

Copper wire

is just that, materials, and not anything remotely connected with basis in land.

However it IS income and taxable. But not se taxable.

[JenMO]

THanks, that is what I thought, too.

[DaveO]

I agree with Harlan

I just remember sneaking into those sites when I was a kid. We we so lucky to have survived that foolishness. When the contents of some of the sites were auctioned off we bought a truckload of the "survival biscuits" that were stored there to sustain the occupants in the post nuclear days. We could only get the pigs to eat them by withholding their usual rations for a few days. Not sure what that says about the military brass opinion of the silo workers.