Short answer: The last year for copper cents in the U.S. was 1982, when the composition was changed from 95% copper/5% zinc to 97.5% zinc/2.5% copper.
If the question was about Canadian cents, those were 98% copper until 1996, before switching to zinc for three years, and changing again to steel in 2000.
Due to the rising price of copper, pennies were worth more than face value.
Pennies were never PURE copper. Those made before 1982 were 95% copper with 5% zinc (or zinc with tin in older ones).
1943-45
1997 was they year that they went to 98.4% zinc, 1858-1996 was 95%-98% copper.
1860 The last copper pennies were made in England, and the same year the first bronze pennies were made.
Making pennies!
copper is too expensive and limited.
They stopped when they realized it cost more to make the penny then the penny was worth. Any one could just get pennies, melt them down, and sell them for more than the pennies were worth.
they still make pennies
Solid copper pennies were last minted in 1857 and were much larger than today's penny. Pennies were made mostly of copper until mid-1982, when the composition was changed to 97.5% zinc with a plating of 2.5% copper. The only exception was in 1943 when wartime copper shortages forced the Mint to make pennies out of scrap steel. Bronze cents were resumed the next year, 1944.
The last year for wheat pennies was 1958.
Originally pennies were made of copper. They are now made mainly of zinc.