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The current U.S. cent is copper plated zinc. Go back a bit and it was different. Here's the breakdown: 1793 to 1857 - copper 1857 to 1864 - 88% copper, 12% nickel (the so-called NS-12 alloy) 1864 to 1942 - bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) 1943 - zinc-coated steel (the so-called steel penny) 1944 to 1946 - brass (95% copper, 5% zinc) 1946 to 1962 - bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) 1962 to 1982 - brass (95% copper, 5% zinc) 1982 to present - 97.5% zinc core, 2.5% copper plating The history of the U.S. cent is a long and interesting one. A link can be found below if you're curious about reviewing it.

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15y ago
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6mo ago

Pennies in the United States are made mostly of copper (97.5%), with a small amount of zinc (2.5%). This composition creates the distinctive reddish color of the coin.

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Q: What metals are used to make the penny?
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