Non-copper cents??????

[LavettePH]

Posted: Sun Dec 2 00:09:48 1984

> I have heard that the US Mint no longer makes 100% copper cents.
> Two queries:

> What was the last year 100% copper cents were minted?
> Did all the Mints switch in the same year?
>
> What is the present composition? Is it some kind of
> sandwich like the formerly silver coins?

> -len tower UUCP: {ihnp4,harpo}!inmet!tower

1. The last 100% copper cent was struck in 1857.

2. Yes.

3. The current Lincoln cent series:

1909-1942 Bronze alloy approximately 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc
1943 only Zinc plated steel
1944-1946 Cartridge brass (done to get rid of WWII surplus cartridge cases)
1947-1961 Bronze alloy approximately 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc
1962-1982 Bronze alloy approximately 95% copper and 5% zinc
1983-1984 Copper plated zinc (2.5% Cu)

4. No, the planchets are blanked from a sheet of copper plated zinc and the
copper is smeared around the circumference of the rim during the shearing.
The clad coins are made from planchets that are blanked from sheets of mat-
erial made by bonding the three layers under high pressure as the sheet is
made. No electro-plating is involved in this process.

I'm referring to general circulation coinage. The variations of American one
cent pieces including proofs, errors and trial pieces fills an entire book.
Congratulations, by the way, for referring to the coin as a "cent". Most people
refer to it as a "penny". They forget that a penny is one-twelfth part of a
shilling.

- Phil

[David Claus]

I believe that both copper and copper plated zinc cents were
made in 1982.

What I find interesting is the fact that the mint switched over to zinc
because they were worried about copper prices, and now
copper prices are at there lowest point since the 30's in
inflation adjusted terms.

Dave Claus
AT&T-Consumer Products

Get rid of the cent and round everything to the nearest nickel.

[Gordon A. Moffett]

> Get rid of the cent and round everything to the nearest nickel.

Amdahl's cafeteria does this. Saves a lot of time from
having people or cashiers sifting thru pennies.
--
Gordon A. Moffett ...!{ihnp4,hplabs,amd,sun}!amdahl!gam

37 22'50" N / 121 59'12" W [ This is just me talking. ]

[ Note longitude correction; I am no longer in the Pacific Ocean ]