Expert: Jim Lawniczak - 8/29/2008

Question
I found this penny that looks regular except for the ring is silver. When I look at it from the side it is copper again. What is this about?

Answer
Hello, Brittney, you don't say what country made your penny or what date it was.  But my best guess is what you have is a U.S. penny made in 1982 or thereafter.  This is because from and after 1982, the U.S. cent was made out of copper coated zinc.  So what you are seeing is the copper coating still on the edge, and someone stripped the copper coating off the rest of the cent, so that the zinc is now what is showing (zinc is silver colored).  But that's just a guess.  Hope this helps, Jim Lawniczak