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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).
The US Mint researched ways to reduce or eliminate the usage of copper in cent production. 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]
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 unique composition of the coin (low-grade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%-copper-based bronze composition) has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, zinc cent and steelie. The 1943 steel cent features the same Victor David Brenner design for the Lincoln cent which had been in use since 1909.
It may be time to dig out that old piggy bank and see if you’ve got a fortune stashed away.
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.
After 1970, Kennedy half dollars were made of the same copper-nickel alloy as the other denominations. The last 90% silver circulated coins are dated 1964, [7] though they were actually minted for several years later dated as 1964. In 1982, the penny had most of its copper content removed, and is now made primarily of zinc, with a thin copper ...
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 ...