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The penny, also known as the cent, is a coin in the United States representing one-hundredth of a dollar.It has been the lowest face-value physical unit of U.S. currency since the abolition of the half-cent in 1857 (the abstract mill, which has never been minted, equal to a tenth of a cent, continues to see limited use in the fields of taxation and finance).
The mint struck pattern coins in various metals, using the obverse design of the Colombian two centavo coin. [1] Dies were sent to various companies to test possible non-metal compositions. Patterns were also struck with modified rim Lincoln cent dies. [2] One of the compositions tested, zinc-coated steel, was chosen for the 1943 cent. [3]
The Lincoln cent (sometimes called the Lincoln penny) is a one-cent coin that has been struck by the United States Mint since 1909. The obverse or heads side was designed by Victor David Brenner , as was the original reverse, depicting two stalks of wheat (thus "wheat pennies", struck 1909–1958).
This leads to the possibility of smelters taking coins and melting them down for the scrap value of the metal. Pre-1992 British pennies were made of 97% copper; but as of 2008, based on the price of copper, the value of a penny from this period is 1.5 new-pence. Modern British pennies are now made of copper-plated steel.
Made of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc alloy, it sold for $1.7 million in 2010 but is valued at $2.3 million in mint uncirculated condition. More recently, it went for $840,000 at an auction.
It may be time to dig out that old piggy bank and see if you’ve got a fortune stashed away.
The U.S. Mint initially made pennies out of pure copper, but starting in 1943 they were manufactured out of zinc-covered steel because copper was needed during World War II. Starting in 1982, the ...
Until 1857, the cent coin was a large copper piece, containing about its face value in metal. These coins were unpopular, and in 1857, after receiving congressional approval, the Mint began issuing the Flying Eagle cent, of the diameter of the later Lincoln cent, but somewhat thicker and made of copper-nickel alloy.