The Red Book labels the Wheat Ear Cent section as bronze. The alloy used was 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, so because it has some tin in it they used “bronze” as a descriptor. A true bronze alloy has 88% copper and 12% tin. There’s a lot of leeway employed in the usage of the term. For alloy content questions for specific dates, consult a Yeoman Red Book, it has all of the info delineated as far as composition and dates utilized.
Yes. If you're wondering about the odd, streaky color, it's a result of the alloy not being mixed thoroughly. Some call it wood grain toning or woody. From what I understand, 88% Copper, 12% Tin is the typical composition, but it doesn't need to be those exact percentages to qualify as bronze. Webster's 1828 Dictionary: BRONZ A compound of copper and tin, to which other metallic substances are sometimes added, especially zink. It is brittle, hard, and sonorous, and used for statues, bells and cannon, the proportions of the respective ingredients being varied to suit the particular purposes. Wikipedia: Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloids (such as arsenic or silicon). Britannica: bronze, alloy traditionally composed of copper and tin. Modern bronze is typically 88 percent copper and about 12 percent tin.
Yup. Saw all of that amid the 6 sources I researched, and, like I said, there is a lot of leeway in the usage of the term because there is such a large range of possible alloys that qualify as “bronze”.
I'm curious why you're asking. The 1943 cents (P/D/S) struck in bronze are the valuable off-metal ones, since they were supposed to be zinc-plated steel. 1944-1946 they used spent shell casings in the alloy which is interesting but not valuable.
Bronze is a mix of copper and tin. The mix used in coins is a very low alloy. What bothers me is that after 59 when they removed the tin and went to a copper and zinc mix people still call it bronze. Even the PCGS label on an 82 D SD will say Bronze. copper + tin = bronze copper + zinc = brass I guess bronze just sounds more regal
