82 copper percentages

[palmvtree]

Perhaps this has been covered many times, but for those with a scale...what are the percentages you find of copper versus zinc for all 1982 mint marked pennies? One would think the mint would have some numbers on the differences as well by type and mint? Based on the look and feel I would say close to 60 to 70% of the ones I find are copper but then again, I don't have a scale...yet. It seems that the ones that are zinc appear to be the small date 82s. Anyone have numbers by type/mint mark to support keeping 82s for the hand sorters? Thnaks!

[inflationhawk]

I was shocked when I first got my scale and weighed my collection of 1982s. I'd say around 70-80% were copper. I didn't count them to get an exact percentage, but I would not have guessed that many were copper.

[68Camaro]

They run 70-80 for me, which is about what the average should be, because the zinc didn't start production until late in the year, circa October.

[Roadrunner]

approximately 80%

[tinhorn]

After I was challenged on my estimate, I counted them when I handsorted a couple boxes. My yield here in New England was slightly over 30%. Apparently the Philadelphia mint switched to zinc very early in the year, so I presume they shipped a lot of them to Boston.

[68Camaro]

I've not seen any definitive evidence that any mint started with zincs prior to October

[tinhorn]

Someone had posted the link to this page recently.

Coining of the zinc cents actually commenced on January 7, 1982 at the West Point Mint. (Little remembered today is that this facility produced nearly a billion cents from 1974 to 1985. As these bear no mintmarks, they are indistinguishable from those made at Philadelphia.) Soon thereafter, Philadelphia undertook this coinage, too. Denver continued to produce solely brass cents until October 21, 1982. That was conversion day. After coining brass cents in the morning, an hour's suspension was affected during which time all the remaining brass cents and planchets were cleared away, and the striking of zinc cents began. The first delivery of these from the Coining Division was made on the 27th. The San Francisco Mint struck nearly four million proof cents for collectors, but these were all of the traditional composition.

Ultimately, a total of seven different combinations of date size, mint and composition were created for the circulating cent coinage in 1982, only a 1982-D Small Date Brass cent being omitted.

http://www.ngccoin.com/news/viewarticle ... icleID=195

[68Camaro]

I've not seen any definitive evidence that any mint started with zincs prior to October

I had been looking for this but hadn't been motivated to look hard until now. Just found that same link. So I stand corrected.

[tinhorn]

It sure explains why my percentage is so much lower than other parts of the country. Heck, I never before knew there was a mint at West Point.

[pennypicker]

40%

[HoardCopperByTheTon]

That is one of the things I really like about this forum.. the sharing of info with other members.. very educational.

For us west-coasters it runs about 75-80%.

[TheJonasCollegeFund]

Here in the northwest part of the Hoosierland, my %'s has begun to drop over the last 4 years. It has gone down from just under 90% to a steady 80%. I weigh 'em and keep 'em or deal 'em!

[VWBEAMER]

for me it's about 70%, and interestingly 1982 coins make up a large part of all the copper I find. It's definatly worth having a way to sort the 82s.

[markey]

1982 copper % is about 85% here in Texas with most coins from the Denver mint which produced these copper coins longer than Philly.

[styropyro]

A very rough guess would be 80% here in central IL.

[Coppercrazy]

80 percent or higher. New Orleans. If you dont have a scale,try bouncing copper and zinc cents on a hard surface.You will find that copper cents ring and zinc do not.If you have a good ear,you will find this method foolproof.

[ZigMeister]

75-80% in Arizona

[rickygee]

Just a guess, about 70%. It is sure worth spending 12 to 15 FRN bucks for a digital scale from Harbor Freight.

[schockergd]

Last box I ran through was about 25% copper.

Interestingly enough I had one roll that had 4-5 wheats in it , and one 1957 penny that looked brand-spanking new. At first I thought my sorter had thrown an error as the coin looked as good, if not better than one of the brand new 2011 pennies, but low and behold it was from 57.