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Copper Pennies: Which Years, Metals and Weights Matter

4 min read · Updated Oct 9, 2026

In short

  • Copper pennies were made until 1982. Most cents from 1864 through 1982 are about 95% copper, and 1982 is the year both copper and zinc cents were struck.
  • From 1983 on, pennies are copper-plated zinc: about 2.5% copper and a weight near 2.50 grams.
  • Two exceptions matter. The 1943 cent is zinc-coated steel with no copper, and cents from 1856 through 1864 are copper-nickel, about 88% copper.

What year did they stop making copper pennies?

The Mint stopped making copper-alloy pennies in 1982. According to NGC, zinc cent production began at West Point on January 7, 1982, and Philadelphia followed soon after. Wikipedia instead names Philadelphia as the first mint to strike zinc cents on that date, so the sources differ on which mint came first. Denver kept making copper-alloy cents until October 21, 1982, when it switched to zinc. Wikipedia notes that the Mint had decided in 1981 to make the switch. NGC also says West Point's zinc cents carry no mint mark, so they look the same as Philadelphia coins.

That makes 1982 a mixed year. Both metals exist for that date, and our catalogue lists Large Date and Small Date versions of each. Check the weight before you assume a coin is copper. The 1982 weight test explains how, and the 1982 penny value page is a useful companion.

How much copper is in a penny?

Figures below are per coin. Weights and alloys follow Wikipedia, and copper content follows our catalogue.

The zinc cent is a zinc core with a thin copper coating, which is why its copper share is so small. The weight gap is large, about 2.5 g against about 3.1 g, so weight is the simplest first check. The 1943 steel cent weighs about 2.7 g and falls between the two, so for that year pair the weight with the magnet test. The copper-nickel cents of 1856 to 1864 are heavier still, at about 4.7 g.

For the full composition history, see what pennies are made of. For dimensions and mass, see penny weight and size.

Are copper pennies worth more?

Usually not by much. Our catalogue estimates a worn 1964 penny at 4¢ at G-4, and a worn 1982 copper Large Date at 4¢. Worn copper cents from 1959 to 1982 are estimated at about their metal value. A zinc 1982 Large Date is valued at face value when circulated: 1¢.

These are estimates, not offers. Check the date and mint mark first, because a rare variety matters far more than the metal.

Which pre-1982 pennies are copper?

Most are. Pre-1982 cents include the 1943 steel cent, which has no copper, and the 1856 to 1864 copper-nickel cents, which are about 88% copper. Most other cents from 1864 to 1942 and from 1944 to 1981 are 95% copper alloy throughout, not just plated.

Watch outA date alone does not settle the metal. Our catalogue lists error varieties such as a bronze 1943 and a steel 1944. Weigh the coin on a precise scale, and check 1943 coins with the 1943 magnet test.

Check yours

Weigh your penny on a precise scale and compare the result with the figures above, or send a photo for an estimate.

Check your own penny

Penny Value is an Android app for now, so it isn't on the App Store. The values and checks on this page are free to use.Penny Value is an Android app. Open this page on your Android phone to check your own penny with a photo.

Coins in this guide

Related guides

Sources

  1. Wikipedia, “Lincoln cent” (accessed 2026-10-09)
  2. Wikipedia, “Penny (United States coin)” (accessed 2026-10-09)
  3. NGC, “The Transitional Cents of 1982” (accessed 2026-10-09)
  4. Penny Value estimate, “Methodology” (accessed 2026-10-09)
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