The last year for copper US pennies was 1982.
A 1983 Lincoln cent is actually copper plated zinc, 1982 was the last year for copper pennies. It's just a penny.
1982 was the last year for 95%-copper pennies. And the first year for the zinc pennies. They made both types that year, and the only way to tell them apart is by weight -- the zinc pennies are lighter.Answer100% copper pennies were last minted by the US in 1857. These were large cents, about the size of the "golden" dollar coins. The Flying Eagle and Indian Cents from 1856 to 1864 were 88% copper and 12% nickel. Beginning in 1864 Indian Cents, and later Lincoln Cents, were minted in 95% copper and 5% tin, technically this is bronze. AnswerAnother way to tell the copper penny from the copper coated zinc penny is when a penny is dropped on a hard surface the copper penny will have a ringing sound, the zinc penny will not ring.
US Coins the last year for a copper (actually bronze) penny is 1982. In 1982 the penny was made as a copper coin and a copper plated zinc coin. You have to weigh them to tell the difference. Bronze cents weigh 3.11 gm and zinc ones weigh 2.5 gm. The penny has remained a copper plated zinc since 1982 however there is talk of changing it again to a copper plated steel coin. In 1943 the Lincoln US cent was steel coated with zinc because the copper was needed for ammunition during the War. In 1944 it went back the copper coin. Today the cost of copper is too high to make a solid copper coin/penny. In fact the cost of stamping/minting the coins and raw materials, the penny and nickel cost more to produce than their face value.
The first copper plated zinc (U.S.) cents were struck at the end of 1981 and dated 1982. The mints continued to make some copper (bronze or brass, actually) pennies for a year afterwards, but all pennies dated 1983 or later are made of zinc. The only exception is that some proofs and special commemorative issues are still copper. You can tell the difference by dropping a penny on a hard surface. A copper penny will make a ringing sound, while a zinc one makes a dull click.
The last year for copper US pennies was 1982.
A 1983 Lincoln cent is actually copper plated zinc, 1982 was the last year for copper pennies. It's just a penny.
did they make 1982 copper penny by mistake
The question does not make sense because copper is a metal.
1982 was the last year for 95%-copper pennies. And the first year for the zinc pennies. They made both types that year, and the only way to tell them apart is by weight -- the zinc pennies are lighter.Answer100% copper pennies were last minted by the US in 1857. These were large cents, about the size of the "golden" dollar coins. The Flying Eagle and Indian Cents from 1856 to 1864 were 88% copper and 12% nickel. Beginning in 1864 Indian Cents, and later Lincoln Cents, were minted in 95% copper and 5% tin, technically this is bronze. AnswerAnother way to tell the copper penny from the copper coated zinc penny is when a penny is dropped on a hard surface the copper penny will have a ringing sound, the zinc penny will not ring.
US Coins the last year for a copper (actually bronze) penny is 1982. In 1982 the penny was made as a copper coin and a copper plated zinc coin. You have to weigh them to tell the difference. Bronze cents weigh 3.11 gm and zinc ones weigh 2.5 gm. The penny has remained a copper plated zinc since 1982 however there is talk of changing it again to a copper plated steel coin. In 1943 the Lincoln US cent was steel coated with zinc because the copper was needed for ammunition during the War. In 1944 it went back the copper coin. Today the cost of copper is too high to make a solid copper coin/penny. In fact the cost of stamping/minting the coins and raw materials, the penny and nickel cost more to produce than their face value.
The last actually US cents were struck in mid-1982. Coins from that year exist in both bronze and copper-plated zinc varieties.
The first copper plated zinc (U.S.) cents were struck at the end of 1981 and dated 1982. The mints continued to make some copper (bronze or brass, actually) pennies for a year afterwards, but all pennies dated 1983 or later are made of zinc. The only exception is that some proofs and special commemorative issues are still copper. You can tell the difference by dropping a penny on a hard surface. A copper penny will make a ringing sound, while a zinc one makes a dull click.
Midway through 1982, the composition of the US penny changed from 95% copper and 5% zinc to 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper (in the form of a coating of pure copper over a core of zinc).
The year is at the bottom on the reverse side.
The most valuable ones are the 1943 copper penny, and the even more rare 1944 steel penny.
The United States Penny is made out of copper.