Penny Question

Ok i have a question on pennies. Me and the wife are roll searching pennies and we have a album for our pennies and nickels and dimes. Anyway the question i have is on the 1982 pennies i know the difference between the small and large date pennies but is there a easy way i can tell the difference between the zinc pennies and the copper pennies in 1982? I know the weight is different but i don't have a scale at my house. Is there any easy way to tell. I don't what to drop them or anything like that and risk damaging them so any help would be appricted thanks everyone i have learned so much from ya'll and i will keep learning every day. Thanks.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Drop them in a solution of nitric acid and if the copper coating dissolves, then they're zinc. Just kidding.... ;-)

The only non-destructive way to tell is by weighing.

 

You dont have to have an actual scale, just make some sort of homemade balance out of something, it shouldn't be too hard. Weigh the 1982's with a pre-1982. If its about the same, then the 1982 is copper, if the pre1982 is heavier than the 1982 is zinc. Theres my very creative way of determining them

And Soda Ant, the zinc in the pennies would also dissolve and form zinc nitrate along with hydrogen gas =P

 

Not if you take them out as soon as the copper dissolves. Don't ask me how I know this.

 

Home made penny scale like the seasaws on a playground:

Take a popsicle stick or something like that, and break or cut about a half inch length of a round pencil, and get the glue ready.

get a pre-82 penny placed on one end and position the pencil under the popsicle stick where the balance just tips, then glue it. A zinc penny will not tip, a copper will.

 

Buy a $15 gram scale.Use it to help authenticate cents, nickels and dimes, etc. You will be glad you did esp if you find a 1983 penny that weighs 3.1 grams,$$$. Any coin that does not weigh properly may be counterfeit. Or struck on wrong metal$$$.

 

I have something very similar to this that I use and it works just fine. I have a round pen as the fulcrum and a strip of stiff cardboard attached by tape. Took about 2 minutes to make and was free

 

Bolt cutters. Chop the coins in half.

 

http://www.thecentproject.com/sort1982.php


Hope this link helps. Says it all for you. Good Luck and Happy Hunting Shoe.


Jim

 

thanks all i'll try these ideas and see what works best. Thank you for all the help.

 

Don't try the acid method. It is to dangerous. The easiest method and the safest is a torch. Arc welders are the best. When the coin melts if all the same color it is the Copper one. If you see greys and yellows, it was the Copper plated ones.

To add to this already explaine best and cheapest method. Try to use a standard six sided pencil. It wil stay steady while you glue the Popsicle or Ice Creame stick to it. Balance the stick on the pencil, glue in place, wait for it to dry of course. Sticks work best if all popsicles and/or Ice Creame is eaten first. Note you now have a balance beam scale and as noted free. You can test two ways. If you place a pre 82 cent on one side, any lighter 82 plated cent will not make the stick move. If you place a post 82 cent on one end, any Copper 82 cent will make the stick drop on the end it is placed. Note that if you glue a post 82 cent to one end, the glue itself will add weight to that end unless you use a very small amount of glue.
And remember, when finished you can still use your scale to weigh other things or just throw in the garbage.