So, I sorted a couple of hundred cents, possibly close to 1000 (some from the bank, and some from a 24 year old jar of pennies I found in the house -- lots of AU 1985's in there; and no findings worth mentioning). And I got around to constructing a super low-tech copper-zinc sorter (pictured below). Of the 39 cents I found from 1982, here was my breakdown: Copper 1982-P LD 24 1982-P SD 2 1982-D LD 8 Zinc 1982-P LD 2 1982-P SD 2 1982-D LD 0 1982-D SD 1 Now, I know my ratio of P's to D's is way out of whack (living here on the east coast, just 100 mi south of Philly) . . . but other than that, anyone else have any ratios? My sorting machine: As you can see -- it's a piece of flat plastic, over a piece of a cheap plastic pen . . . attached together with scotch tape. The penny is from the 1960's, so it's copper. It's not on the end, so that when I put a copper on the other end, the see-saw swings down dramatically; and when a put a zinc on the other end, the see-saw doesn't move at all. Poifect! (Except that I can only do one cent at a time). Obviously The pic and description is for the newbies . . . but my main point is: what's the distribution of 1982 cents that you have or see or think there is?
Hey Sholom, I did the same thing one time a while back. I had many more D's than P's Here in Memphis. But my zinc to copper ratio was near 50/50. Maybe there are more coppers now than zincs because the zincs have crumbled or rotted away to nothing ..LOL...I say that because I am into metal detecting and to dig up a zincer gives me a funny feeling every time ...Rims rotted off ..half coins.. Etc
This is a good thread. My son is currently sorting a pile of pennies and he just asked me how to tell the difference between the 82 copper and 82 zinc pennies. Now I can show him the picture of your "sorting machine". That's cool!
i have posted my ratio a few weeks ago on this same topic from this link http://www.cointalk.com/forum/t49839/ This link goes to others links to links (3 deep) but it does show the mintages for the 4 mints where they were made and what my ratio is where i live in NYS. So follow my snowman picture on the other forums if you want to look Snowman
And thanks for that, everytime I find census data I'm adding it into a sheet I'm making. With enough data, I should come up with a pretty good "guesstimation".
Cool. Let me update my own figures . . . I messed up my count (!!) Copper 1982-P LD 47 1982-P SD 2 1982-D LD 8 Zinc 1982-P LD 2 1982-P SD 2 1982-D LD 0 1982-D SD 1
If you use a six sided pensil for the balance beam instead of the round plastic roll, it would stand still a little better. Then you place a drop of rubber cement glue at the balance point of the popsicle stick. Of course you could reverse the process by placing a Zinc-Copper coated one at the far end of the stick. Then any all Copper ones would make that side drop fast. If a Zinc-Copper plated one was put on the other side it would only balance. Also, if you use a drop of rubber cement to hold the permanent coin in position your scale would be more permanent and the coin on the permanent end would not move. Also, note any popsicle or ice creame bar stick would work for this system but remember to eat the ice creame first. :eat:
