The price of the copper used to make a penny cost more than a penny.
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).
1857, unless you're referring to Lincoln pennies, which were only 95% copper until 1982 when they were changed to zinc.
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.
1982 although they are still coated with copper the inside is now zinc
The U.S. stopped using steel for pennies during World War II due to a copper shortage. Steel was used as a temporary alternative to copper but was phased out once the shortage ended.
1860 The last copper pennies were made in England, and the same year the first bronze pennies were made.
copper is too expensive and limited.
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).
Probably because of their impending involvement in WWII. They will have needed it '...for the war effort...'
1857, unless you're referring to Lincoln pennies, which were only 95% copper until 1982 when they were changed to zinc.
1943-45
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.
1982 although they are still coated with copper the inside is now zinc
The United States stopped producing full copper pennies in 1982. Prior to that year, the pennies were made of 95% copper and 5% zinc. Starting in 1982, the composition changed to 97.5% zinc and only 2.5% copper, resulting in a much lighter coin. This change was primarily due to rising copper prices.
US Pennies were made of 95% copper (with the exception of the 1943 steel cent) from 1864-1982. Midway through 1982, the cent switched to copper plated zinc. So any penny dated 1983-present is just copper plated zinc. However a coin dated 1982 could either be 95% copper or copper plated zinc. A copper coin should weigh about 3.11 grams while the zinc pennies are lighter at about 2.5 grams.