I love collecting copper pennies.
While some people may think that all pennies are made entirely from copper, virtually every one-cent coin made since late 1982 has a composition consisting of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.
The coppery color of modern-day pennies is merely a thin plating of copper on a 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper core.
These newer, zinc-based Lincoln cents are often called Zincolns and are widely available in circulation today.
Older copper pennies are 95% copper and 5% something else.
To be precise: Copper pennies made up until 1962 had a 5% balance of tin and zinc, and from 1962 to 1982 the extra 5% of material was entirely zinc.
Why Save Copper Pennies?
What’s the big deal about the copper pennies? Why are they important to many coin collectors?
First of all, they’re worth more than face value. As of this writing, they’re worth 2 to 3 cents each due to their copper value.
Some would debate whether or not copper pennies are worth their weight as scrap metal, but their intrinsic copper value is nevertheless higher than the face value of the denomination itself — making it worthwhile to check your change and hold aside all pre-1982 pennies.
These old pennies are getting harder to find as more and more people are looking for copper pennies and are removing them from circulation.
A List Of Copper Pennies You Want To Save
Here are some old copper pennies worth saving…
#1 – “S” Mint Lincoln Memorial Copper Pennies
How often have you found an “S” mint Lincoln Memorial copper penny in pocket change?
Among the Lincoln Memorial cents, there were 7 years during which the San Francisco Mint placed its “S” mintmark under the date on business-strike, non-proof pennies.
These include:
- 1968-S, 261,311,510 business strikes minted
- 1969-S, 547,309,631
- 1970-S, 690,560,004
- 1971-S, 528,354,192
- 1972-S, 380,200,104
- 1973-S, 319,937,634
- 1974-S, 412,039,228
Notice that those mintage numbers for the business-strike S-mint Lincoln pennies are in the millions, not billions like most Philadelphia and Denver pennies from that era.
Most of these S-Mint Lincoln Memorial cents have been pulled from circulation, so they rarely turn up in pocket change anymore.
Officially, they’re worth only face value if worn, but I’ve seen many circulated S-mint Lincoln Memorial cents selling at coin shops for 5 to 10 cents. Keep that in mind!
#2 – Other Copper Pennies That Are Valuable
Along with the “S” mint Lincoln Memorial cents, there are several other interesting and valuable pieces to search for.
These include:
- 1960 Small Date, worth $1.50
- 1960 Large Date, 3 cents
- 1960 Small Date Over Large Date, 3 cents
- 1960-D Small Date, 3 cents
- 1960-D/D Small Date Over Large Date, $100
- 1969-S Doubled Die Obverse, $25,000
- 1970-S Small Date, $25
- 1970-S Doubled Die Obverse, $2,500
- 1972 Doubled Die Obverse, $250
*Values are for coins in Extremely Fine-40 grade
#3 – Old Copper Lincoln Wheat Pennies
So far, this article has been mainly centered around looking for copper Lincoln Memorial cents — which were minted from 1959 through 1982.
But that’s doesn’t mean Lincoln wheat pennies (which were minted from 1909 through 1958) are, as they say, “chopped liver.”
In fact, their numismatic values makes them worth more than most Lincoln Memorial pennies. And, yes, they’re made from copper, too — with one exception: steel pennies.
Steel cents were made in 1943, though a few 1944 steel pennies were made by accident. But steel pennies are a topic for another article.
Today, we’re talking about copper coins.
All Lincoln wheat pennies are worth a minimum of 3 to 5 cents each, though many are worth more.
