What Are British Pennies Made Of (The Large Ones)?

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,644
benjaminfailor01 Valued Member United States 123 Posts	Posted 04/14/2016 01:33 am I searched on the computer, but it aint showing anything. What is the material that the large British pennies are made of? I thought copper, but not sure. If so, is it worth it to melt them if they're in low quality? * Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. * Report this Post to the Staff

DavidUK Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 2624 Posts	Posted 04/14/2016 03:03 am If you are talking about pre-decimal pennies they are bronze... you have to go back a long way before they were copper. Report this Post to the Staff
benjaminfailor01 Valued Member United States 123 Posts	Posted 04/14/2016 04:21 am Thank you. Do you know what percentage copper, and what the alloy? Report this Post to the Staff
Anaximander Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 709 Posts	Posted 04/14/2016 04:53 am Until 1860 copper coins were copper, bronze after that date. Try this link: http://www.coins-of-the-uk.co.uk/coins.html#size Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16849 Posts	Posted 04/14/2016 09:16 am British coinage bronze is mostly-pure copper. The formula varied slightly over the years: 1860-1922: 95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc 1925-1954 (except 1943): 95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc 1943, 1961-1970: 97% copper, 0.5% tin, 2.5% zinc "Melting" bronze personally isn't usually worth it, unless you're doing it on an industrial scale and/or have a specific need for the bronze alloy being melted. 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
billjones Pillar of the Community United States 1499 Posts	Posted 04/15/2016 09:08 am As it was in the U.S., the British switched from copper to bronze because the bronze alloy fares batter in circulation than copper. Copper is the most reactive of all of the classic coinage metals. The addition of little tin or zinc helps retard corrosion. Report this Post to the Staff
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