Copper penny value: $0.041 in copper
Pennies dated 1982 and earlier, at the live copper price
A penny dated 1982 or earlier is 95% copper and weighs 3.11 g, so it holds 2.95 g of copper. At $6.35 per pound that copper is worth about $0.041. Live · updated 19:00 UTC
Which pennies are copper, and what the copper is worth
| Cent | Weight | Copper value now |
|---|---|---|
| Indian Head and Flying Eagle, copper-nickel1857 to 186488% copper, 12% nickel | 4.67 g | $0.058 |
| Indian Head, bronze1864 to 190995% copper, 5% tin and zinc | 3.11 g | $0.041 |
| Lincoln wheat, bronze1909 to 194295% copper, 5% tin and zinc | 3.11 g | $0.041 |
| Zinc-coated steel1943Steel with a zinc coating | 2.7 g | None |
| Shell-case brass1944 to 194695% copper, 5% zinc | 3.11 g | $0.041 |
| Lincoln wheat and Memorial, bronze1947 to 198295% copper, 5% zinc (tin as well before 1962; the Memorial reverse began in 1959) | 3.11 g | $0.041 |
| Copper-plated zinc1982 to 202597.5% zinc, 2.5% copper plating | 2.5 g | $0.001 |
Copper value = grams of copper ÷ 453.59 grams per pound × the copper price. Tin and zinc in the alloy are not counted. The 1864 to 1909 Indian Head bronze cent and the Lincoln cent share the same weight and composition. Lincoln cents began in 1909. The Memorial reverse began in 1959.
The Mint stopped making pennies for circulation on November 12, 2025, so the 1982 to 2025 zinc cent is the last circulating type. Source: US Mint press release. Pennies stay legal tender.
How to tell a copper penny from a zinc one
The Mint changed the penny from copper to zinc in 1982 because copper had become too costly. Both kinds were struck that year, so the date does not settle it for 1982.
- Check the date. 1981 and earlier (except 1943) are copper. 1983 and later are zinc.
- Weigh a 1982 penny. A copper one is about 3.11 g and a zinc one about 2.5 g. A kitchen scale that reads to 0.1 g is enough.
- Look at the edge of a worn one. A zinc penny shows a gray core where the copper plating has worn away.
- 1943 is steel. A 1943 penny sticks to a magnet. A copper 1943 penny exists but is extremely rare.
For wheat cents and Indian Head cents, collector value is nearly always higher than the copper. See Lincoln wheat cent values and the Indian Head cent page for mintages.
The rules on melting pennies
US Mint rules in 31 CFR part 82 restrict melting or treating one-cent and five-cent coins and limit exporting them. The rules were put in place in 2006 and 2007, when metal prices pushed the metal in these coins above face value. The copper in a pre-1982 penny is worth more than its 1¢ face value, but the rules ban melting and limit exporting US cents and nickels, so you cannot legally cash that in by melting them. This page gives the metal value for reference only. Read 31 CFR part 82 if you are dealing with coins in bulk.
Copper price today Scrap copper prices Lincoln wheat cent Indian Head cent
Sources: weights and compositions from Wikipedia, Lincoln cent and Indian Head cent (citing R.S. Yeoman, A Guide Book of United States Coins). Copper price: gold-api.com (HG).
What the sources say
- History The U.S. Mint says that in 1982 the penny became primarily zinc with only 2.5% copper.
- History The U.S. Mint says that for the year 1943 pennies became zinc-coated steel because copper was essential to the war effort during World War II.
- History CoinWeek says the penny had become too expensive to produce with its 95-percent copper composition, with the cost of making the one-cent piece approaching the coin's face value.
Sources for these notes
U.S. Mint (Historic Coin Production): “in 1982 the penny became primarily zinc with only 2.5% copper”
U.S. Mint (Historic Coin Production): “For the year 1943, pennies became zinc-coated steel because copper was essential to the war effort during World War II.”
CoinWeek (1982 Lincoln Memorial Cent guide, 4 Nov 2021): “the “penny,” which had become too expensive to produce with its 95-percent copper composition; the cost of making the one-cent piece was approaching the coin’s face value”
Copper penny questions
How much copper is in a penny?
A penny struck before mid-1982 weighs 3.11 g and is 95% copper, which is about 2.95 g of copper. A zinc penny from mid-1982 on weighs 2.5 g and has only a thin copper coat, about 0.06 g.
What year pennies are copper?
Pennies dated 1982 and earlier are 95% copper, except 1943, which is steel. Some 1982 pennies are copper and some are zinc, so weigh a 1982 penny: 3.1 g is copper and 2.5 g is zinc.
How many pennies make a pound of copper?
About 154 pre-1982 pennies hold a pound of copper (each has 2.95 g of copper, and a pound is 453.59 g). A pound of whole pennies is about 146 coins.
Is a pre-1982 penny worth more than a cent?
Yes, in metal. At the copper price used to build this page, the copper in one is worth about 4.2¢, more than the 1¢ face value. You still cannot legally cash that in by melting: 31 CFR part 82 bans melting one-cent and five-cent coins and limits exporting them.
Is it legal to melt pennies?
US rules (31 CFR part 82) restrict melting or treating one-cent and five-cent coins, and limit how many can be exported. Read the rule before you do anything with coins in bulk.