How much does a penny weigh???

I agree. But it seems to be one of the forums with the most attention, from what I have seen so far

 

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I have also heard this.. this is why I have started weighing my pennies

 

The public law Title 31 Section 5113 states "the weight of the one-cent coin may not vary more than 0.13 gram." This section of the US code was last amended in 1988 and still says this today. So the Mint can set their tolerance to 0.1 gram and still be in compliance with the law but cannot be looser and set the tolerance to 0.14 gram, as an example.

 

In 1983 the US Mint only minted Zinc Cents. Since there was a composition change the year before they possibility always exist for one or two, maybe even three, to be minted on the wrong planchet.

 

In 1982 they made copper cents and then later that same year zinc cents.
There are 2 1982-D small date copper cents (Denver only made the small date in zinc) and there are (a few?) 1983 cents on old copper planchets, and there are even a few later dates that are supposed to be zinc and they are copper.
How did that happen? When you work with high speed machines, sometimes small things can end up in weird places. Perhaps when there was a system clean, a few planchets were discovered. You can't take anything out of the mint, and the copper and zinc planchets look the same, and they just could have been tossed into a hopper of zinc planchets and found their way into circulation years later. I believe a 1989 was found and a couple other dates.
Yes these off metal coins are valuable, but it's really not worth the time to look for one. You are talking 1 or 2 out of literally billions of coins. Someone will find one, but it's not going to be you or me. Every day someone comes on here and swears they have one, and of course it never is. Yes, it could fall into your lap, but the math and the odds say no.

 

Not quite. The Shield Nickels have a diameter of 20.5mm, but all nickels after them have a diameter of 21.21mm. But all weigh 5 grams.

 

-jeffB said: ↑
Are you thinking about the 1965 transition from 90% silver to clad for dimes, quarters and halves? (Nickels haven't changed their composition since they were introduced in the 1860s, except for the 35% silver ones issued from 1942-1945.)

Which has nothing to do with composition.

 

I was pretty sure the composition and weight hadn't changed since the first Shield nickels, but I didn't realize that the Shields were smaller in diameter! Are they thicker (rim width), or do they just have higher fields (I have the impression they've got lower relief than later issues)?

 

But everything to do with specifications.

 

This is what I meant. One sold in 2015 for $22,325.

https://www.pcgs.com/news/1983-copper-lincoln-cents

 

Jim - I just remembered that I also have this:

 

He did mention in an earlier post that he meant 1965 quarter and dime transition from 90% silver to clad. And not 1985.
As for US nickels (not including half dimes and 3 cent nickels) they have ALWAYS
been 5.0 grams and 75% copper and 25% nickel. Except 35% silver war nickels. (56% copper 35% silver 9% manganese.)

 

About 14 billion Cents were minted in 1983. Since copper was not used by the Mint a few copper planchets may be found. They usually hide and eventually work themselves free. They go through the minting process and in this case, 2 have surfaced. Another may but they weren't produced by the Mint.

 

Could you tell me what scale you are using? If you have a link to it at Amazon or ebay that would be great. The scale I have will weigh a zinc cent at 2.5 grams one time, then 4 grams the next.

 

Before you buy one, check out the maximum weight it will take. 0.001 gram scales are around $20 for up to 20 grams max and much higher for 50 or 100 grams, due to the sensors. I have availability to precision and calibrated lab balance and this was more accurate than the others I tried and returned with Prime. The air shield for measuring and the calibration weight and pan also helped to measure gems readily. Jim

https://www.amazon.com/Smart-Weigh-...&qid=1573498708&sprefix=0.001,aps,205&sr=8-10

 

@James.R, it sounds like you don't own a Yeoman Red Book. I suggest you purchase one as it gives you lots of information on composition, weight, diameter, etc. on all US coins.

 

Sounds like your batteries might be dying or you might need to recalibrate the scale. A nickel is the best way to calibrate because it will always way 5.0 . I just have one of the 5 or 10 dollar ones you buy at a gas station

 

Yes I have been meaning to get one

 

Noticed you blacked out your email address in the heading, which is a good idea. However, you left it in the body of the return msg. You should go back & fix that.

 

Thanks Pete. I wish they would put it in law if that is true, I thought they just kept the .13 in law , so they would have more fudge room on the planchets they procure.

Jim