Is there a silver penny

Answer 1

Not in this day and age. Maybe a long time ago, though.

To explain:In the 17th and 18th centuries, England made pennies out of silver. In those days before inflation, coins could buy considerably more than they do today so a silver penny was actually a relatively large denomination.

By the time the US started making pennies (actually cents) the prices of goods and metals had changed so much that the cent and penny were both low-value coins made out of copper.

There are still special silver pennies made in Britain called "Maundy money" but these are special coins sold to collectors and given out by royalty as gifts.

During WWII the US was forced to mint cents out of steel because of copper shortages, and many people mistakenly believe these coins are silver. But if you think about it for a few seconds, a silver penny would have been worth more than a dime, and it wouldn't be magnetic either (as are all steel cents) so they can't possibly be made of silver.

Answer 2

Certainly not among modern issues. Some trial pieces were struck in metals other than copper back in the early 1800s but that's all.

Now if your coin is dated 1943, it's a wartime coin made of zinc-plated steel which may look a bit like pewter. In that case it's worth maybe 25 to 50 cents in circulated condition.

If the coin has another date, it's possible that it was either plated or is a replica coin made for a game or similar. If it can be inspected in person by a coin expert and is determined to be made of another metal, there is also the outside chance it's a so-called "off metal" piece, struck on a blank intended for a foreign coin. In that case it would be considered a mint error that would definitely be worth a collector's premium.

Answer 3

There were. US quarters dated 1964 and earlier were struck in an alloy of 90% silver and 10% copper, and Canadian quarters dated 1967 and earlier were 80% silver. Some 1968 Canadian quarters were 80% silver and others were 50%.

Silver was removed from dimes and higher-denomination coins when the price was deregulated; it increased to the point where the coins were worth more than their face value. With the price of silver as of early 2012 about 25 times as high as it was in the 1960s, even common-date silver coins sell for 20 or more times their original face value.

Starting in 1992 the US Mint began making special "Prestige" sets containing current-date dimes, quarters, and half-dollars minted from the old 90% silver alloy. These are only sold to collectors and of course cost far more than their face value so they aren't intended to be spent.

Answer 4

There is no silver in any British decimal general circulation coin.

There has been no silver in any British general circulation coin since 1946.

British Pennies were last minted in silver in 1800.

The British Maundy coins, which has been a tradition for hundreds of years, are still made from sterling silver, but they are not for general circulation.