There's a picture at this site:
A penny wirh a small date on it
The 1984 Lincoln cent has no known small or large date varieties only 1982 and 1960 do.
1982
Pre-1982 Lincoln cents weigh 3.11 grams and have a diameter of 19mm, 1982 to date weigh 2.5 grams with the same diameter.
You can tell if a penny is made out of zinc or copper by the date on the penny. If the date is before 1982 then the penny is 95% copper. Pennies dated 1983 or later are 97.5% zinc with a thin copper coating.
2.5 grams from 1982 to date
depends sometimes on the date that it was made
A simple answer is: From 1793 to 1982. From 1983 to date the coins are zinc.
2.5 grams from 1982 to date
No 1972-S small date varieties are known.
It is worth face value unless it has a S under the date.