What is the metal content diiference in shell case cents vs. regular cents(Lincolns)?

Hey, I have read that the cents made from recycled shell cases during World War II were of a slightly different alloy, which caused them to look more red than the average Lincoln cent. So could someone here tell me the difference in ammounts of metals in the alloy of each type of cent?

 

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From my Red Book:

1909-1942 - 0.950 copper, 0.050 tin and zinc
1944-1946 - 0.950 copper, 0.050 zinc
1947-1958 - 0.950 copper, 0.050 tin and zinc

So the difference is that the shellcase cents do not have any tin.

 

Thanks! I thought thats what I read, it was years ago, but sounds VERY familar.:thumb:

 

And that shell case composition is the same composition as was used from 1963 to 1982.

 

Hmm. It should be really simple to test for the presence or absence of tin in a population of sacrificial 1944-1946 cents. Time to dig out the old qualitative analysis text, and see what I've got left in the way of reagents...

 

Ah, now I understand -- thanks for setting me back on track. (It was starting to look like a pretty smelly experiment anyhow...)

 

From an account I read some time back, this was all part of the plan. Have to remember it was war, and everybody wanted to do their part - the composition of the cent was changed in 1943 to zinc plated steel, and of course the nickels were changed to a silver and manganese composition - and the large ubiquitous mintmark was added on - it made people aware of the war in their everyday lives. The copper and nickel were really not that strategically short in supply that the mint would have had to have done without them - but it was one way of making a sacrifice along the lines of all the other sacrifices made during the war.

 

I WORKED IN A FACTORY - WE HAD TO KEEP BRASS ALLOY SEPERATE THERE WAS 260 3100 2590 2591 ALL DIFFERANT TYPES OF BRASS HAD TO KEEP IN A DIFFERANT AREA EACH TYPE HAD A DIFFERANT CONTENT IN IT SUCH AS ZINC
POTTASIUM ETC.
ALL JOKES ASIDE IT WAS A BRASS MILL , WE MADE METAL FOR THE U.S. MINT TO PUNCH OUT ALSO THE NICKEL, COPPER
EVEREYTHING BUT ALIMINUM & STEEL
WHEN THEY BROUGHT THE REJECTS BACK FROM THE MINT TO BE REMELTED, THEY CAME WITH AROMERD GUARDS TO MAKE SURE THEY WERE MELTED
AND WE WERE RANDOMLY SEARCHED EVERY TIME WAKING OUT THE GATE
Sandy

 

Hello there! I just joined your site and am pretty excited on learning more about coins. Anyway, I was reading the discussion regarding "shell case" cents either some actual mint(s) exist or not and very curious. Could this attached photo be one of those "shell case" cents or it's totally a different coin? Please kindly confirm? I know it has been 7 years since the discussion about it started maybe there are new ones minted. Thank you and have a great day.

 

Not sure I'm understanding the question, but if the coins are the correct dates in your holder, they are the wartime alloy.

 

The law specifying the content of the bronze cent called for "95% copper" and "5% tin and zinc" with no specifics as to exactly how much tin and how much zinc had to be in it. Through 1941 they tended to keep it at around 2.5% of each metal. In 42 tin became a much more critical war material and the amount of tin in the cents was reduced to the merest trace just to keep within the letter of the law. Let's put it this way in 1942 San Francisco struck 585,665 pounds of Lincoln cents, and they used 50 pounds of tin, or .009% tin.

After the steel cents, it was decided to use recycled shell cases as the raw material for the cents. The shell cases were 70% copper and 30% zinc. This allow was though to be too brittle for coinage and due to improved stockpile the war production board allowed the mint to add enough raw copper to the melts to bring the final composition up to 95% copper and 5% zinc. (The same composition as the one they used from 1963 to 1982)

In 1947 tin once again returned to the alloy. Usually not as much as pre war, typically around 1% tin.

 

Cartridge Brass Composition:
Copper 68.5-71.5%
Zinc Remainder
Lead 0.07% max
Iron 0.05% max