Are post-1978 cents worth saving?

[dixiebooks]

I have been saving all the Canadian pennies I find while sorting US pennies. I know that 1978 and older Canadian cents are worth more than a penny for the copper value. But what about post-1978 cents? As Canada has discontinued producing the pennies, is there enough numismatic interest in them to warrant saving them? Thanks. -James Wagner

[JadeDragon]

Well pennies up to 1996 are 98% copper. Then they went to zinc and steel cores. There are so many pennies minted and uncirculated saved that I don't bother saving circulated 1997-2012 pennies.

[dixiebooks]

Thanks, Jade. I did not realize that they were 98% Cu up to 1996. I was just thinking that after the "worth saving" date, that all the pennies may eventually dry up and become worth more if the Canadian government is gathering them up and melting them down. (Which I do not know that they are doing, I am just assuming they are or will be.) I guess I will quickly sort through mine and remove all those 1997 and later and return them with my zincs. -james

[Know Common Cents]

Call me a purist, but I only save the CDN cents from 1979 on back. While the 1980s and to about 1996 do contain a pretty high % of copper, my interest is as stated. The ones close to BU, I set aside and build up a supply before rolling them all. The other ones get tossed into a pail and then counted before crimped into a bag.

I really think these have potential at some future juncture. In this political strife and general chaos, tangible assets rise to the top of importance. Very little downside and tremendous upside.

[AdamsSamoa]

I save em all.... they are not making any more of them

[frugi]

i buy bags of canadian cents here in missouri from a regional dealer, he sells them to me currently at double face, but I get 60-100 lbs. at a time, out of all that there is maybe less than 1 lb. that is not copper, so I think it is worth the double face.....I save everything, even the non coppers......for me the enjoyment is the hand sorting since there is soooo many varieties as you get later after 1964.............young queen, then old queen, then the lighter 1980 & 81's, then the octagonal ones and so on. I like to sort based on variety, I have buckets fulls.

[MikeJ]

Looks like I may be moving to Missouri !

Mike J.

[frugi]

some great deals on real estate in Ferguson, MO.

[bronco2078]

I save every canadian penny I find even the after 1996

[cooyon]

I save every canadian penny I find even the after 1996

Me too! I separate the KG5s, but everything from 1937-2012 goes into one container. Someday I may have to sort them, but that is way down on my list.

[bronco2078]

I have all Georges in a container , then QE2 up to 1969 in another . Then one for 70-81 , 82-96 and 97 and up.

I also have a jar for 1965 and another jar for 1967 .

My most prized is a burlap sack of 1959's all in nice BU condition I bought for 2 cents each at a we buy gold place