1982 Lincoln Cent... How Do I Tell Copper From Zinc?

Fast forward fifty years, ccf post:

Does anyone know why 1982 cents all have rim dings? It seems to happen on both zincolns and copper issues, but rarely on other dates.

I'll be in my 70's in 50 years so at least I will be able to answer that question for them. haha.

I made a scale. it is a piece of shim stock with a penny on one side and a socket on the underside. works great. if penny is copper it goes down. if zinc it does not go down.

The popscile method is cheap, easy and accurate. Ice Cream sticks work too but regardless of which you use, make sure all the Ice Creame and/or popscile has been eaten first.
And you do not have to store it. No need to replace batteries. No need to worrying about dropping it and ruining it either.
The pencil works best if it's the six sided one. Easier to balance. A drop of glue where the two meet helps if doing a lot of testing. And it is reversible. By that I mean you put a post 82 Cent, mostly Zinc, on one end, and all Copper Cents will make the other end drop. You put a pre 82 Cent, Copper, on one end, and all Zincolns will do nothing as to movement on the other end.
AND you get nothing to eat buying a scale.

Put it on the end of your index finger and tap it with a zinc penny. As everyone has said, the copper makes a distinctive ring, the zinc is more like a dull thud.
Also, you do notice distinct differences in the two types. After a while you can look at them and tell with about 99% accuracy.

, silverguy!

A note or two for accuracy on balance beams:

When setting it up empty the first time, mark exactly where the fulcrum (support) goes. You want to have exactly the same amount of beam (stick) weight on each side. Moving it too far to one side is why a couplekids can lift an adult on a teeter-totter.

The known weight and the weight being tested should each go to the end of the beam. Your looks like the test side is a half inch in. Moving the test coin in can require a heavier coin to balance.

I agree with BadThad and Biokemist - use a scale or balance beam at first, but eventually after you see enough of them, you can tell just by looking at them.

I can sort out the copper from zinc pennies from change without even looking at the dates most of the time, which is good because my close up vision is not what it used to be!