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realcent
Forum Admin
USA
246 Posts |
 Posted - 05/04/2006 : 11:23:41
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This is from the site that gave birth to this forum: You must be logged in to see this link.
For simplicity's sake, lets break US pennies down into 4 categories:
1. Everything up until 1959: These are wheat pennies, Indian head pennies, flying eagles, and earlier large cents, and all have a collector value above their metal content. (common wheat pennies have a collector value of about 3-6 cents right now) All pennies in this category should be stored separately, and possibly traded in for cash at a coinshop, sold to a collector, or saved as collectibles.
2. Pennies dated 1959-1981: These are the copper cents that you should be hoarding. They can be acquired for one cent each from change and from your local bank, yet currently hold a metal value of 2.5 cents each because of their copper content. The actual composition of the cents from 1959-1981 is 95% copper and 5% zinc.
3. Pennies dated 1982: The year 1982 was the US Mint's change over year from a copper penny, to the new zinc pennies. Some from that year are copper, some are zinc. It is possible to tell the difference between the two with weight testing, or by appearance and sound, but at this point (IMO) is not worth the effort. I recommend all 1982 cents be cashed, just save the 1981 and earlier. (others choose to save the 1982's and test them by weight or sound when dropped. This is perfectly valid as well.)
4. Pennies dated 1983-present: These pennies do not contain much copper, are made mostly of zinc, and should be cashed in and traded for more pennies to sort through. Zinc has been going up and some people choose to save these as well. The actual composition of the pennies from 1983-present is 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.
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just carl
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
601 Posts |
 Posted - 01/19/2007 : 17:52:58
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I'm not exactly sure of the purpose of this topic. Especially since statistics stated are not exactly correct. Not to contradict these statements but
1.Cents previously minted prior to 59 may go for 0.4 to .10 each, many in better conditions sell in the hundreds and even thousands.
Example a 15D Lincoln although common just can not be found in AU so the price is up to about $100 here
2.Cents dated 59 to 81 in EF and AU sell for dollars, not 1 cent. I'd like to see a 72DD go for $0.01 Also, some in the 60's and 70's are up there in value.
3.The 82 Cu plated Zn small date goes for about $10 to $20. Complete set of 7 1982's goes for well into the $50 range in AU to MS.
4.Again, many being sold for well into the hundreds.
I would suggest visiting a coin show, coin shop or just log on to coppercoins.com
Carl
Just thought I'd mention I go to about 2 to 4 coin shows a month. I visit several coin stores, coin counters in department stores and numerous dealers at flea markets. Example is today I just came back from a flea market and bought about 20 AU and MS 1943D Steel Lincoln Cents and a bargain at $0.30 each. At coin shows they go for about $2 to $5 each. |
Edited by - just carl on 01/19/2007 17:56:45 |
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42 Posts |
Posted - 08/15/2007 : 14:56:19
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| I hoard 1982 anyway, especially if you base it on dates rather than looks. Just keep it in a separate jar and run it through a ryedale if you have to. |
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Ponce
Penny Hoarding Member
Cuba
630 Posts |
Posted - 11/06/2007 : 23:24:55
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I have been saving all my coins for the past 30 years so that at this time I have five 5 gallons plastic water containers full of coins and now working on number 6.
Besides those coins I also have 30 bricks of nickels.
Remember that no matter how many paper fiat the Feds will be printing no one will be making anymore coins so that the same will retain its original value.
In Germany back in 1918-1923 the government had 200 houses printing paper money but no coins..... the paper money became good for the fire place, insulation and as toilet paper.
This old lady had a bathtub full of coins and did just fine because the coins retained its original value..... with paper money a loaf of bread was about 10 millions Marks but with the coins only 2 Marks.
"If you don't hold it, you don't own it"...Ponce |
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fiatboy
Administrator
912 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2007 : 00:35:44
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I'm waiting for the day when the metal in dimes and quarters will be worth more than its face value (assuming the USD still exists then)........actually, on second thought, that might not be a good day.
"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson |
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Ardent Listener
Administrator
USA
4841 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2007 : 10:52:11
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quote:
Originally posted by Ponce
I have been saving all my coins for the past 30 years so that at this time I have five 5 gallons plastic water containers full of coins and now working on number 6.
Besides those coins I also have 30 bricks of nickels.
Remember that no matter how many paper fiat the Feds will be printing no one will be making anymore coins so that the same will retain its original value.
In Germany back in 1918-1923 the government had 200 houses printing paper money but no coins..... the paper money became good for the fire place, insulation and as toilet paper.
This old lady had a bathtub full of coins and did just fine because the coins retained its original value..... with paper money a loaf of bread was about 10 millions Marks but with the coins only 2 Marks.
"If you don't hold it, you don't own it"...Ponce
Ponce, welcome to realcent.
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Fanaticism is doubling one's efforts, yet forgetting one's purpose.
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All posts either by the members, moderators, and the administration of You must be logged in to see this link. are for entertainment purpose only. It is not the intent of realcent.forumco.com to provide investment, medical, legal or tax advice and nothing posted here should be considered to be so. |
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NiBullionCu
Penny Pincher Member
USA
168 Posts |
Posted - 11/09/2007 : 13:28:48
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quote:
In Germany back in 1918-1923 the government had 200 houses printing paper money but no coins.....
Yes, they did strike coins in Weimar Germany, 1919-1923
50 pfennig, 3 mark, 200 Mark, and 500 Mark, all in aluminum |
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2cents
Penny Sorter Member
USA
44 Posts |
Posted - 11/22/2007 : 13:22:55
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Bought my first small batch of Indian Heads recently.
I had a few before this but no early ones.
This batch had an 1859 in it.
I thought something was wrong with it as it was thicker and had a little different color.
After reading a little, it turns out that the Indians had a different composition until 1864,
88% copper and 12% nickel,
the same as the Flying Eagles.
Part way through 1864 they changed to 95% copper and 5% tin/zinc alloy and not as thick.
2cents |
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deleted
11 Posts |
Posted - 11/25/2007 : 14:07:59
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| Before I bought a digital scale I would only save 1981 or before. But there are alot of 1982 cents out there. I felt that I was throwing away money by returning the 1982's to the bank.I weigh the 1982 coppers with my digital scale. The copper cents are supposed to weigh 3.1 grams. The zinc cents are around 2.4 grams. Back to the bank they go. |
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35 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2008 : 02:41:56
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| I recently have become aware that in 1983 errors occurred when the mint accidentally used copper stock. So, there are apparently 1983 copper cents out there that may have a high collector value. Has anyone run into these that they are aware of, perhaps using the sorting machine? |
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fiatboy
Administrator
912 Posts |
Posted - 01/28/2008 : 17:11:45
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quote:
I recently have become aware that in 1983 errors occurred when the mint accidentally used copper stock. So, there are apparently 1983 copper cents out there that may have a high collector value. Has anyone run into these that they are aware of, perhaps using the sorting machine?
I double check every copper penny that gets sorted by my Ryedale, and so far, no copper '83s. I'd like to find one, but I'm not holding my breath. Finding one would be quite an event round these parts, that's for sure! I can't wait till somebody does find such an extremely rare penny. |
"Bart, it's not about how many stocks you have, it's about how much copper wire you can get out of the building." --- Homer Simpson |
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39 Posts |
Posted - 03/26/2008 : 23:13:28
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| wow that's certainly labor intensive. |
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Metal composition of US cents by year....
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