I would have to go with getting them for face value. If you don't want to take the time to do this....you might want to try your LCS. The one closest to my house sells by the lot but not sure how much.
Actually dropping the cents onto a hard surface such as a plate or hard table top will allow you to tell the difference between the ring of a copper cent and the thud of zinc. As Monty Python asked - What is brown and sounds like a bell? Dung.
Okay, I'll start searching rolls again. I just figure I'll buy from my friend because I got him into it. It wouldn't be many rolls, and it encourages him. I was thinking that it takes up more space to store rolls of pennies, but they aren't worth that much so they don't need to be in a safe, so that allows me almost unlimited storage for them. I think a roll of copper pennies might be an item of barter soon, but even if I'm wrong they will still be worth more than face value.
I would also check all 1983 P+D too there is about 10-15 Copper ones that were put on wrong planchet. Finding 1 of them would Be Ni$E!:yes: