All US cents minted in 1909 were made of bronze (95% copper). The first zinc-core cents were made in 1982.
It's just a penny, spend it.
There is 97.5 percent zinc in a penny and 2.5 percent copper
Zinc cents were first struck in mid-1982 so your coin is an ordinary bronze cent that's either been plated or somehow discolored. In either case the damage means it's only worth a penny.
All modern pennies are made out of zinc. If you are thinking of a 1943 steel penny that is a very common coin that is worth at most a dollar. If you have a 1942 steel penny that is a misprint error made by the mint and is very valuable. (be sure to have it certified by multiple sources including NGC) I hope that this helps.
A zinc-coated steel penny is not issued by the United States Mint and is not considered legal tender. These pieces were experimental and are not intended for circulation, so they do not have a set monetary value. However, they may be of interest to collectors and could potentially have some value based on rarity and condition.
There's no such thing as a "lead penny". The only metals used to make U.S. cents have been copper, bronze, steel (1943 only) and zinc (1982-present).
It's just a penny, spend it.
It's just a penny, spend it.
All Lincoln Wheat penny's from 1909 to 1942 were made from Bronze .950 copper and .050 Tin and Zinc.
No such coin exists, the wheat penny was minted from 1909-1958.
A 2000 zinc penny without the copper content is worth less than 1 cent. The value is based on the metal content, which is primarily zinc. Since zinc is worth significantly less than copper, the value of the penny is minimal.
No such thing. Abe Lincoln has been on the penny since 1909.
They were not made out of lead. They were made out steel coated zinc.
A 1909-S VDB penny!
Priceless. The first wheat pennies were made in 1909.
Look at the coins again. No Flying Eagle cents are dated 1886 or 1909. They were only struck from 1856 to 1858.
As of late August 2012 an uncirculated 1909 VDB penny with no mintmark is worth at least $20. In higher uncirculated conditions they can be worth up to $400.