Cents were made of copper during most of the period from 1792 to 1982, not just 1950 onward. Yes, the copper in pre-1982 cents is worth more than face value but not enough to make it profitable to melt them. You would need a VERY large number of coins and even so, the costs of melting, selling, etc. would eat up most or all of the profit. Also, for what it's worth, in numismatic terms the wheat ears are considered to be a design rather than a symbol. At the end of 2007 copper was selling for $3.00/pound. A pre-1982 penny weighs 3.11 grams (97.5% of which is copper) It takes about 148 of these pennies to make a pound. This is based on a pound being equal to 454 grams.
A 1943 copper penny is known to be worth a lot of money,
Average value is 2 to 3 cents.
The dollar bills are made of cotton and linen, despite the fact that we call it paper money. Pennies are zinc coated with copper. Nickels, quarters, and dimes are a mix of nickel and copper.
No Pennies are money.
It was an ancient tradition that dated back to when the British isles used Roman currency (denarius).
You could use a grinder, or any chemical which dissolves copper, and you will reach the zinc, since the copper is just a thin layer. Technically speaking, however, defacing money is illegal.
Because it is against the law to deface any money issued by the Royal Mint/ Government.
1.7 Million dollars, that was what a collector recently paid for a 1943 copper penny made at the Denver mint, the only known 1943 copper penny struck there (keep in mind that the 1943 pennies were struck in steel, the copper 1943 pennies are errors).
They collect them, and some, like a 1943 copper penny, are worth a lot of money. Most pennies are only worth a penny, but, some are worth a lot more than than to a collector.
In the UK 300 pennies = 3 pounds
At 100 pennies to the dollar, 50,000 pennies makes $500.
2,000,000 pennies = £20,000.00