What year did they stop making copper pennies?

[erwinsmith]

I’ve heard that U.S. pennies were once mostly made of copper but later changed to a different material. Can anyone tell me what year did they stop making copper pennies??

 

[Rick_Grimes]

The U.S. stopped making pennies mostly from pure copper in 1982. After that, they switched to zinc with just a thin copper coating. So pennies from 1982 and earlier are mostly copper, while newer ones are copper-plated zinc.

 

[Olivia]

The U.S. stopped making pure copper pennies in 1982. Before that, pennies were about 95% copper. Starting in 1982, they switched to zinc with a thin copper coating to save money. So, if you find a penny from before 1982, it’s mostly copper!

 

[Lucky]

The U.S. Mint stopped making pennies primarily from copper in 1982 due to rising metal costs. Since then, pennies have been made mostly of zinc with a thin copper plating. Pre-1982 pennies contain 95% copper, while post-1982 ones contain only 2.5% copper. Collectors often separate these because copper pennies hold slightly higher metal value.

 

[peterkavinsky]

The U.S. stopped making pure copper pennies in 1982, switching to copper-plated zinc instead.

 

[nikhilrajoria]

In the U.S., pennies had been made of copper till 1943 when they were changed to zinc-plated steel (because of WWII). In 1944, regular copper pennies were reintroduced.