Is There A Difference Between Bronze And Copper Pennies?

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,024
Rdwhiplash New Member United States 4 Posts	Posted 02/11/2025 02:24 am Is there a difference between a bronze penny and a copper penny? If so, how do you tell which one you have? Report this Post to the Staff

HondoB Bedrock of the Community United States 25807 Posts	Posted 02/11/2025 02:59 am to the CCF, Rdwhiplash! US Large Cents and Half Cents were minted of copper. Flying eagle and Indian Head cents (1859-1864) were minted of copper-nickel. From 1864-1982, all cents except 1943 were minted of bronze. Bronze is more durable than copper. Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 99106 Posts	Posted 02/11/2025 03:24 am to CCF. Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
BStrauss3 Pillar of the Community United States 4601 Posts	Posted 02/11/2025 1:31 pm Technically Bronze is an alloy, primarily of copper, with tin and other elements. Brass is an alloy, primarily of copper with zinc and possibly other elements. For example, the Golden Dollars outer layers are a Manganese-Brass. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bronze https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/brass -----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ Report this Post to the Staff
Cujohn Pillar of the Community United States 7174 Posts	Posted 02/11/2025 5:01 pm to the CCF. Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16877 Posts	Posted 02/11/2025 5:34 pm In reference to pre-1983 Lincoln cents, people often say "copper" when they really mean "bronze". The two terms are, for all practical purposes, interchangeable for numismatic purposes. Though in a more literal, non-numismatic sense, they aren't interchangeable. Bulk scrap bronze is much cheaper than bulk scrap pure copper, for example. So when people look up the "scrap metal value" of their bronze coins using the pure copper price, they are getting a serious over-valuation. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis Report this Post to the Staff
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