OK you guys got me hooked

[mr.theman]

OK I'm in. After reading many of the post here you guys have got me hooked. In the last 3 weeks I have bought 48 rolls of halves and found 2-90% and 5-40%. Also bought 15 rolls of dimes with nada. I also decided that coin collecting would be a good way to get the kids away from the TV and video games for a while. I have picked up a box of pennies every Friday for the last 3 weeks and they go through them with me. we have found about 20 wheats and about 2 dozen canadians and have completed the 1975 to present Whitman book (except for the 82's which I have questions about) and about half of the 1941-1974 book. Can't wait until they get home so we can go through the new box sitting on the table.

OK now for a couple of questions:

#1 What do you guys do with the canadian pennies? They aren't worth as much as an American penny. The teller at B of A said I could bring them back and she would exchange them.

#2 how can I spot the difference between a 1982 copper and 1982 zinc? Also what is the size difference going to be between a 1982 with a large date and a small date? Are they easily distinguishable?

Thanks in advance for the help and for turning me on to this. You guys are great!

 

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[Immy]

Welcome to the club! I think it's great that you're getting the kids involved. They'll remember these fun times for a long time. As far as your questions:

1 - I save all the Canadians I find, not for the value but simply the curio factor. But another idea might be to check out your local bookstore or coin shop for one of those Whitman penny folders that have no dates. You can create your own year set of Canadian pennies.

2 - The best way to tell a copper 82 from a zinc it to weigh them and there's an easy way to do it. Take a ruler and place it on a flat surface with a pencil right at the 6" mark (like a seesaw). Place a 1983 or newer penny at the "down" end. Copper coins are heavier and will make that end tip. A zinc coin placed at the "up" end won't make the ruler move at all.

 

[ringding]

I don't fool with the 1982 pennies. Not worth the time. I collect 1981 and older.

 

[bmanofnbc]

Does your metal detector have target ID?
If so, you could just run each 1982 penny in front of the coil to see if it's a zinc or copper. otherwise you could use a digital gram scale, maybe a jeweler would let you use theirs if you don't have one.

the difference in large date & small date is in the shape of the #2 it takes some practice to spot the difference, if I can find a picture I will post it.

 

[mr.theman]

Thanks for the replys. I went to the library and checked out the red book and they have pictures of the large and small dates so I got that base covered.

I don't have a metal detector yet but I am planning on ordering one next week, a garrett ace 250. I can't wait until it gets here. Fixin to get out the ruler and pencil and my stack of 82's to go through.

Ring ding: I probably won't mess with them after my book is done but if I don't do it now I will have 7 empty holes in my book and that will bug the crap outta me.

Thanks,
MTM

 

[agbonanza]

Welcome to the madness!! I myself do not mess with the '82s, I collect 1981 and older. Wonderful way to get the kids involved...keep it going!
HH

 

[Postalrevnant]

Welcome to the club and to the forum as well. Congratulations on those finds thats a very good haul.

Will be looking forward to your future posts and wish you plenty of good luck on those future rolls.

Postalrevnant

 

[Jeffro]

The ruler and pencil is how I sorted mine out, too, LOL! The tail of the two is closer to the rim on the large dates.

 

[HobBob]

Mr. Theman, welcome aboard!!!
...and Immy, you rock. Thanks for the delightfully simple and effective way to sort out the '82's!
HH,
Bob