Copper penny composition and melt value
Pre-August 1982 Lincoln cents are 95% copper and weigh 3.11 grams. Post-August 1982 cents are 97.5% zinc with copper plating and weigh 2.5 grams. The 1982 year includes both types — use a scale to distinguish them.
Worked example — 100 copper pennies
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Total weight | 100 × 3.11g | 311 g |
| Copper content | 311g × 0.95 | 295.45 g Cu |
| Copper in pounds | 295.45 ÷ 453.592 | 0.6514 lb Cu |
| Melt at $6.57/lb Cu | 0.6514 × $6.57 | $4.28 |
| Face value | 100 × $0.01 | $1.00 |
| Melt-to-face ratio | $4.28 ÷ $1.00 | 4.28× |
At $6.57/lb copper (October 2026 snapshot), each copper penny has a melt-equivalent value of about 4.3 cents — more than four times face value.
The legal note — 31 CFR Part 82
The US Mint issued a regulation effective December 14, 2006, making it unlawful to melt or treat as a commodity 1-cent and 5-cent coins. The rule (31 CFR Part 82) allows export of up to $5 face value per person per day for personal use but prohibits bulk melting or commercial treatment. Penalty: up to $10,000 fine and/or 5 years imprisonment. This calculator is informational only and does not encourage or facilitate melting.
How to sort copper from zinc pennies
- By date: 1981 and earlier = copper. 1983 and later = zinc. 1982 = could be either.
- By weight: copper = 3.11g; zinc = 2.5g. A digital scale accurate to 0.01g makes quick work of 1982 cents.
- By sound: dropped copper pennies ring with a higher, longer note than zinc.
- By edge: zinc cents sometimes show slight bubbling or separation at the edge from wear.
1943 steel cents
1943 Lincoln cents are steel (zinc-coated steel), not copper. They are magnetic. The melt value is negligible; collector value varies. A rare 1943 copper cent (struck in error) is worth $100,000+. Never melt a 1943 cent without authentication.