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Technically the US uses cents, not pennies.

The only pure-copper cents were Large Cents issued from 1793 to 1857.

New small cents (the current diameter of 19mm) were introduced that year; these were 88% copper and 12% nickel.

In 1864 the composition was changed to bronze, 95% copper and 5% tin and/or zinc.

1943 cents were made from zinc-plated steel to save copper for the war effort

Bronze was resumed in 1944 and lasted till mid-1982 when the composition was again changed to the current 97.5% zinc coated with 2.5% copper.

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