Was just thinking....i'm sure the mint was looking ahead to 2009 when they went to satin finish uncirculated mint sets.Imagine all those clad cents running around pretending to be coppers!
US cents are not clad. They are copper plated zinc, which means that a very thin layer of copper has been applied to the entire surface of a zinc planchet, resulting in even coloring over the obverse, reverse and edges. Clad coins (10¢ - $1) start as two discrete layers of one metal with a layer of a different metal between them. The strips are rolled under high pressure, and bond together. When the metals are of different colors, the result is an edge showing the inner layer metal, often over two-thirds of the surface, while the obverse/reverse are entirely of the other metal. So-called golden dollars generally don't show a color differential on their edges. They are of a different composition than the cu-nickel/copper/cu-nickel dimes/quarters/halves.
quote=hontonai;606708]US cents are not clad. They are copper plated zinc, which means that a very thin layer of copper has been applied to the entire surface of a zinc planchet, resulting in even coloring over the obverse, reverse and edges. Clad coins (10¢ - $1) start as two discrete layers of one metal with a layer of a different metal between them. The strips are rolled under high pressure, and bond together. When the metals are of different colors, the result is an edge showing the inner layer metal, often over two-thirds of the surface, while the obverse/reverse are entirely of the other metal. So-called golden dollars generally don't show a color differential on their edges. They are of a different composition than the cu-nickel/copper/cu-nickel dimes/quarters/halves.[/quote] I stand corrected.I'll just go stand in the corner now.
