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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Collecting Nut, post: 2200809, member: 74863&quot;]Zinc is used to make today&#039;s pennies. It&#039;s coated with copper. Zinc is a white looking metal. Copper is not. You have a damaged coin but it&#039;s damaged was caused by the cheap zinc and not an error. In other words, zinc is soft and cheap while copper is harder and more expensive. Copper makes a better coin than zinc. There&#039;s also a good expression you need to remember. &quot;Good money drives bad money out of circulation.</p><p><br /></p><p>Good money was silver coinage. Bad money was clad (what we have today). It&#039;s difficult to find silver in change because it has been driven out of circulation due to the bad money (clad) replacing it. It can be done as every once in awhile a silver coin pops up in your pocket change. In 1964, the last year silver coins were made for circulation, every dime, quarter, half and silver dollar was silver.</p><p><br /></p><p>Go to the bank and buy a few rolls of pennies. 50 to a roll so it&#039;s not costly. Separate the pennies. One pile for 1981 and below and another pile for 1982 and above. Below 1981 is copper, while 1982 and above is zinc. Look at the coins. Zinc coins are ugly. They are stained and damaged far more than the copper coins. Check out the difference is the surfaces of the two types of coins. Then you will see what everyone has been telling you.</p><p><br /></p><p>I will mention that in 1982, when the composition of the pennies changed from copper to zinc, there are 7 varieties,. Copper and Zinc. Large and Small dates. And of course, mintmarks. Mix them up and you have 7 varieties, none of which are worth your time to separate, save or post. Also, buy a Red Book. R.S. Yeoman is the author. They are not expensive and it contains basic information that will assist you in what to look for. It will help increase your understanding of coins to a more basic level.&nbsp; Best Wishes.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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