In hand this 1985 D cent (found in a roll at work earlier today) is clearly not copper. How does one tell the difference between a real minting error, like an all zinc penny, and post mint damage chemical treatment or zinc plating? NOTE: penny seems really dirty I tried weighing it on a scale accurate just down to 1/10 of a gram; though not the most accurate scale this one weighed the same as my other penny samples from what I could tell. I am aware of zinc plating but don't know how much weight that might add. I'll come back later with some pics in different lighting.
Leave one in your back yard for a few months. You'll get a near-duplicate of the one above, for free.