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I've noticed after a while that the outer rim on some pennies is quite deep, while on others it's only about half as deep. This isn't from wear because I can find both new and old deep and shallow. It also seems like every now and then I get a penny that seems thicker than all the rest, probably with a thicker rim. I know they're all supposed to weigh the same.

Is this something to do with the pressure used to stamp it? Is there any value here, something I should be sorting out?

When pennies are made they first become flat disks, then the rim is formed, then stamped. The pressure used to form the rim could vary. Also, wear is a factor in the depth of the rim. I'm not aware of any special value to different sizes of rims.

Number21 wrote:I've noticed after a while that the outer rim on some pennies is quite deep, while on others it's only about half as deep. This isn't from wear because I can find both new and old deep and shallow. It also seems like every now and then I get a penny that seems thicker than all the rest, probably with a thicker rim. I know they're all supposed to weigh the same.

Is this something to do with the pressure used to stamp it? Is there any value here, something I should be sorting out?

While JD has a point, with US cents I've noticed a distinctive bias toward the older copper pennies tending to be stamped more deeply, with greater contrast, including the rims. I've been meaning to post a question on this but figured it had been long ago discussed (and probably has). There are exceptions to this of course - a few older cents with less contrast, and few newers with more.

I've noticed this as well. Every now and then I'll find an old LMC or LWC that's still red and high grade and there is definitely more relief in lincoln's portrait than the newer coins. It's definitely much more pleasing to the eye than the new ones. They almost look flat in comparison. One box I recently got had a ton of BU 1959-D's in it. Someone must've busted a roll. They seemed to have a lot more depth to them than normal and almost reminded me of the high-relief strike of the St Gauden's $20 gold.

The mint has decreased the relief on all coins, not just pennies, because lower relief requires less pressure and increases die life.