What are pennies made of
Michael Moroney
> [I've rearranged the quoted article.]
>In article <1993Mar6.0...@vatmom.COM> fr...@vatmom.COM (Frank M. Haynes) writes:
>>Has the content of U. S. Pennies changed in the last 20 years?
>Yes. They used to be made out of an alloy high in copper content.
>These days they are made out of aluminum anodized properly to look like
>copper. You can tell the difference from the weight and the strenght of
>the coins. Try filing one.
Zinc, not aluminum. Before 1982 pennies were all bronze. After 1982 they
are bronze-plated zinc, and are lighter. Both types of 1982 pennies exist.
>> I was using a torch to heat
>>the penny. As I was getting it red hot, it suddenly "split",
>>and a quantity of silvery metal poured out of the penny.
>That was just aluminum.
Again, zinc, and not aluminum.
-Mike
David Henry Fetter
>used to do when I was young.
[describes what happens when you put a blowtorch on a modern penny]
>Has the content of U. S. Pennies changed in the last 20 years??
>
>Thanks.
Yes, it has. Now, they're made of copper-plated zinc.
This is because the copper they used to be made of was uneconomical
(i.e. very near a penny to produce).
You're welcome.
--
vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv
> # <
> David Fetter # <
> sha...@csd4.csd.uwm.edu # IF YOU WISH TO KNOW MORE <
> (414) 229-3975 (SAACS) # PRESS [ENTER] <
> (414) 276-3095 (home) # <
> 1104 N. Van Buren St #18 # <
> Milwaukee, WI 53202-3229 # --from PRESS ENTER <
> # by John Varley. <
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^