Expert: PAPAJACK - 4/17/2008

Question
Dear Sir:
I am collecting US pennies and have a question about the 1982 series. I am stuck at buying an expensive scale and magnifying glass to determine large date vs small date and zinc or copper. I was just going to buy them but that does not seem very sporting. Any ideas? Thanks.
Bill Sagliano

Answer
Hello Bill,                               

You can trust most dealers on this if you buy the 1982 4 piece set from one of them.
It is not too hard to detect the large and small date once you are experienced at it. But the difference between the Copper and the Zinc is tough.

With almost any magnifier and a good light source place the 1982 cents you have in a row. Notice how much room there is from the edge of the rim to the digit 2 and how high the bottom of the 82 is compared to the tail on the 9. I also use the inside loop in the top of the eight, this looks smaller than the inside top of the 8 on the large date coin.
The real difference is actually very small so it takes some practice.

There is no easy way to see the difference between the copper and zinc types on the coins.
I start Weighing. The Copper Cent weighs 3.11 grams and the Zinc Cents only weigh 2.50 grams each.

Since the same dies were used for the copper and zinc types at both Denver and Philadelphia. So there is no Large Date/ Small Date difference in style between the two metals for strike.

You do not need an expensive scale, you can simply make a balance type scale using two pre 1981 cents and compare the weight by replacing one side with a 1982 date. If it is still balanced it is a copper one if it is lighter it is a zinc one.

As you experience separating the coins you will get better at it.

I hope this information helps.

Feel free to ask any question on US Coins.

Good Luck

PapaJack