1999-Lincoln Cent...no Copper Appearance

I thought 1999 might be little early for alternative metals. Public Law 111-302 actually requires biennial research into new coin programs and another report was issued in December 2014 and another one should be published this year.

Both the 2012 and 2014 reports are available at https://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mi...ecialreports

Also, every mint annual report since 2001 can be obtained at https://www.usmint.gov/about_the_mi...nnual_report

I don't even understand why it is so important to attempt to reduce the cost of the cent and nickel. The overall cost of circulating coin production is well below the total face value. So what if a couple line items are in the red. It is like a corporation trying to make each department show a profit when some of them just can't (HR, IT, Marketing, etc,). If the overall cost ever approaches the total face value then rethink the entire product line. Until then stop wasting time and money. Last year the cent & nickel lost $75M and the dime & quarter profited $624M and they lost another $8.5M on damaged and other unsold coins, for a net seigniorage of $541M. The mint had its most profitable year (for circulating coinage) in at least five years making $0.49 on every dollar shipped.