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Message:: [QUOTE="Clawcoins, post: 4002552, member: 77814"]you are confusing things. You have a Zinc Memorial cent not a Wheat cent.The "wheat" or "memorial" is a design. But the Zinc core is a composition. Since mid 1982 cents are made with a zinc core, and an 8 micron thin copper plating over that zinc core. "Wheat cents" design, which is indicative of the reverse wheat stalks was from 1909 to 1958 and where basically 95% Copper - 5% Tin and Zinc.  Whereas the modern zincoln (zinc core, 8 micron thin copper plating) is 97.5% Zinc - 2.5% Copper. Wheat cents were replaced with the "Memorial cent" design from 1959 to 1982, when the composition for the cent was totally changed.  The Memorial design continued until 2008 though when other designs were introduced. Because of the 8 micron thin copper plating it very easily gets stretched and torn while minting.  Remember, the mint is making cents for identification as money.  They did not design this for collectors, well they did but those you pay more for in Proof and uncirculated packages.  All the circulated stuff is mass produced *as fast as* possible in order to reduce the manufacturing costs, which is the utmost important thing .. not the visual quality for discerning collectors. FYI, in 1864 zinc was added to the composition of the Indian Head cent as 95% Copper - 5% Tin and Zinc.[/QUOTE]