Penny info

[Jon Stewart]

Would someone take the time to explain what pennies are worth looking for. I don't mean rare dated pennies but some of the more modern ones. The last years that the most copper was used for example. And maybe some other info. Thanks in advance for your time.

 

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[FormerTeller]

Tough crowd.

Unfortunately true in many respects.

 

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[Jon Stewart]

I hear ya former teller. Heck of a welcome wagon. I received my answer and I do appreciate that from uncleslick.. This little group doesn't need to worry abut me asking another, question, lol.

 

[Scott (Mich)]

Welcome to the CRH forum, Jon. I see that you've been on T'Net since 2011 but I'm guessing that this is the first time you've poked around at this forum. I think that if you stick around and keep asking questions then you'll get some answers that you seek. People here are actually pretty helpful and not all that unwelcoming once you get to know us.

In regards to your cent question/questions. Yes, as others mentioned, 1982 was the year they switched to copper plated zinc (but I think on the Lincoln cent centennial in 2009 they made some with the pre-1982 composition, but they were for collector sets only). Also if you are not aware, it is still illegal to melt cents as there is a ban on it, so melting them for their copper is a no no. Hunting cents is not all that costly and a bit of fun to do during the winter too.

Take a look at some of the posted info at the top of the forum for tips on what and what not to do, like if you buy coins from one bank, please do not take them back to the same bank as that will annoy the bank people and they may decide to cut you off. Lots of good info to be found here. Good Luck.

 

[Jon Stewart]

Thanks Scott. I am from Michigan also but out of state with my wife who has cancer and is in treatment. I am a flintknapper and hang around the artifact sites more. I was in the hospital with my wife and was going g thru all of Treasure net which has been a God send for my mind and thought about the penny question that I posted. I guess I didn't post the question clear enough. Thanks for your response. I have a great rappore with my bank as I am retired LEO and worked with them many times over 25 years. The girls are happy to see me come in so I don't think that will be much of a problem if I decided to become a penny Checker, lol

I also do a lot of metal detecting weather permitting.

 

[Scott (Mich)]

Okay, getting away from CRH-ing a bit. You make arrowheads - cool, that's got to take some effort, I watched a video on doing it a long time ago. I've got some arrowheads that were found around here by my late father and I. I'm in Shiawassee county which is about a half hour northeast of Lansing to give you an idea. I recall being told that the natives here used something called chert(spelling?) to make their arrow and spear heads as there is no flint to be found in this area. Somewhere around here I have a broken half of a spear point that I found by my creek about 30 years ago, I think it's about 2 inches wide if I remember correctly. Years ago in the paper there was a story about a guy that had over a five gallon bucket full of arrowheads he had found along the banks of the rivers near Owosso.

I metal detect too and try to coin roll hunt when the ground is frozen.

 

[Dozer D]

Jon: all your questions could be answered before you even ask, by just getting a current 2019 U S COINS "RED BOOK". By reading all the Cents historical data you would have answered your own questions. Don't jump on LooseChange cuz I'm sure he was just trying to tell you what was the highest % of copper content cents was in the past. For your info, per Red Book, the wheat cents 1909 thru 1981 are 3.11g 95% copper, the 1982s are split part of the year was copper @ 3.11 grams, later in the year they went to zinc @ 2.5 grams. I hoard my coppers and separate my 82s via a gram scale, takes the guess work out of the formula.
FYI, currently it is still ILLEGAL to melt down copper pennies. To save the coppers is solely up to YOU, nobody is asking you to do it, and it's not going to be a get rich hobby either, so I think you owe LooseChange an apology for trying to answer your vague question. Like I said, GET A RED BOOK & read it.

 

[Uncleslick18]

Jon- sorry to hear about your wife, that is horrible, keeping you in my prayers.
Dozer- while it is still illegal to melt US CU cents, is it illegal to melt Canadian ones?

 

[mountainman 2]

Jon, 1st off, welcome to the CRHing forum. There are some very knowledgeable people here to help you. As stated before, the last year for modern copper cents was 1982 when they switched over to zinc. If you don't have access to a ryedale and want to save all copper, you can tell the difference from a zinc 82 and a copper one by the weight. You can purchase an inexpensive digital scale and be able to separate the 2 by weight. Copper cents are heavier then zinc cents.
Cents are my favorite coin to search just from all the varieties and errors that can be found. Nickels are a close 2nd.

 

[smokeythecat]

Jon, want some more $$$, look for the errors! I have found a LOT of them including a MS-67 1995 Lincoln in a customer wrapped roll. I had it graded, so that's how I know the grade!

 

[enamel7]

Jon- sorry to hear about your wife, that is horrible, keeping you in my prayers.
Dozer- while it is still illegal to melt US CU cents, is it illegal to melt Canadian ones?

It's not illegal to melt Canadian cents.

 

[1shotwade]

I save copper pennies. Not because I want to melt them down, more than copper is worth more and that it is a malleable metal. I also save large aluminum wire which can be worked into something you might need. When things go south and we can't get what we need, it will be worth a lot to have material on hand to work with, legal or not. For instance, right now I am needing a shim for my scope. A penny is more than enough to make a whole set of shims, but of course I don't use them because I have othe copper available to use.
Wade

 

[LooseChange]

Sure, it's an academic distinction, but . . .

It is not illegal to melt (or otherwise process) US 1-cent or 5-cent coins per se. It is only illegal to melt/process them in order to get the metal from them for the purpose of recycling that metal. If you have some other reason to melt them (ie: Art, education, anger, etc), you can do so.

 

[BC1969]

You go on the defensive just like I do. I try to NOT do that. It is self defeating.

I use my own value guage.. If it looks cool.. It's worth maybe something.
Value is a very subjective thing.
Just my two Wheaties.

BC

 

[Death&Taxes]

People ought to know how to use the resources they already have, and not pose silly questions to the community. I gave up on pennies two years ago. Varieties are hard to find and very rare (something like a 2000 wide AM is 1/10000 or more). Copper pennies are worthless because you will never be able to melt them. I took all mine to the bank and got $530. Wheats are worth 3 cents each an 1 every three rolls, meaning that your E-V for a $25 box is $0.35. Don't waste your time.