Well, I thought I would use the Coin Talk braintrust on 1982 cents. My six year old daughter wants to get into coin collecting, or least try to smooze me or see why I like this hobby. So I found an old 1941 to 1975 Whitman album and found a jug of cents. We made some headway, but we had to hit Barnes and Noble to get the Whitman 1975 to today album. So we got started and started to press in those shiny Lincolns. She is starting to understand the concept - 1979, 1979-D, 1980, 1980 - D, etc. But before we can discuss the different types of silver trimes, we start finding 1982 and 1982D cents, and there are 6 slots for this. I think some are designated for copper, some are zinc, and there are large and small dates. How do you tell the difference. I will keep surfing, but any information to make my time with my daughter more fun will be appreciated. thanks!
I'm not an expert on pennies but I found it right away in the 2009 Red book laying behind me. :smile The 82 had a small date and large date variety for both P's and D's. It is also the year they switched to copper plated zinc. It appears they made both small dates and large dates from both mints, out of both copper and the copper-plated zinc as well that year. The red book as good photos showing the dates. As far as how to tell the difference, it looks like the 82 is one of the easier ones to tell the difference. The two in the large date appears to almost be touching the rim, while the small date has a very noticeable gap between the rim and the 2. I don't know if they're all like that but that's what the photo examples show in the RB.
Look here; http://lincolncentresource.com/smalldates/1982.html Hopefully, there are 7 slots in you book.
Here's anothe site that is good for understanding how to sort the 1982's http://www.thecentproject.com/sort1982.php
The difference between the copper and zinc cents is the weight. Copper cents weigh 3.11g while zinc weigh 2.5g. Here are some pics showing the different sizes in the dates. First is large, then small...followed by a large/small side by side comparison.
thanks, now without having a scaloe, how do you tell the difference between a copper and a zinc cent?
You make a scale with a popsicle stick and a pencil. Center the popsicle stick on a pencil, place an '81 or older cent on 1 end and an '82 on the other. If the '82 goes up it's zinc. If it balances out it isn't.
Actually dimedude, if you want to see every thread that's ever discussed the 1982 cent and how to weigh it, just do a google search on "popsicle stick". You should find hundreds of references! Sorry, couldn't resist. Every thread I've ever seen about 1982 cents eventually get around to the popsicle stick. Where's Just Carl when you need him?
If the popsicle stick thing doesn't work for you, try dropping a pre-1982 and a newer penny on a hard surface. They make a distinctly different sound.The older one has more of a ring to it. That is how I tell the difference anyway.
Even holding each coin you can tell a difference if you concentrate on it. Pick up a brand new cent...and then pick up a cent from before 1982. The new cent will feel slightly lighter...it almost has a "tin-y" feel if you ask me while the older cent doesn't. A scale is obviously the best way to do it...but if you don't have one the other methods suggested work just fine. Once you play with enough cents...you'll get to the point where you can tell by just picking them up.
Guys, Thanks for this analysis. I think I will find the popsicle stick and pencil. My six year old daughter and I will have a blast, and she will learn a little science. BTW, she is enjoying entering those cents in that album. She now wants to advance to nickels, and then trade dollars. She is enthusiatic and having fun, which is great, and I am not pushing it. As she is looking at dates, my three year old daughter is throwing cents out of the jug and dancing on top of them.
and trade dollars... Yep, and next it will be 20 cent pieces and St. Gauden's! Well, we built the tongue depressor scale and it was a good scientific expriment. She got bored ten 1982 and 1982-D cent in. Overall, we have 50 of these and about 2/3 were copper. Now we need to separate them to mint and date size. My daughter was also very interested in looking at a steel 1943 cent. She could not understand the war, but thought the coin was cool. This has been a good parental experience. I just don't want to push it.
