Is a 1983 copper penny worth anything?
There’s still much that collectors don’t know about 1983-D copper pennies, but what specialists have determined is that the rare 1983 penny is worth about $15,000!
Are 1983 pennies made of copper?
If your Lincoln Memorial penny has a date before 1982, it is made of 95% copper. If the date is 1983 or later, it is made of 97.5% zinc and plated with a thin copper coating. For pennies dated 1982, when both copper and zinc cents were made, and best way to determine their composition is to weigh them.
How much is a gold colored penny worth?
Gold cents have little if any value to most diehard coin collectors and may fetch 50 cents to $1 each in the novelty coin market. In sum, gold pennies are not rare.
How much is a penny’s copper worth?
Today, the amount of copper in an old penny is worth a little more than 2 cents. However, zinc pennies made since 1982 are presently worth only face value.
Is a 1983 penny rare?
It’s true — there’s a rare 1983 copper penny (specifically, a 1983-D penny) that’s worth $15,000. It’s a coin that many numismatic experts (those who study coins) still don’t fully understand — because it’s unlike any other copper penny the United States Mint has ever made.
What is the error on a 1983 penny?
There is a rare error variety for the 1983 penny with no mint mark. On the reverse side of the coin the date and the design elements are minted twice onto the coin. This is called a doubled die error.
Why is the 1983 penny so valuable?
This rare 1983-D copper penny is likely a type of coin known as a transitional error. In other words, it’s an error coin involving unusual circumstances with its composition during a period when the U.S. Mint was changing the metal content of that coin.
What should a 1983 penny weigh?
2.50 grams
In 1983 the composition of pennies in the United States was changed due, in part, to the rising cost of copper. Pennies minted after 1983 weigh 2.50 grams while the earlier copper pennies weigh 3.11 grams.
Why do I have a gold penny?
When the zinc-coated penny is heated, the penny becomes gold in color. The gold color is due to the zinc migrating through the copper to convert to the alpha-form of brass alloy which has a zinc content of less than 35%. This form of the brass alloy is a golden color.
Why do some pennies look gold?
When the zinc-covered penny is heated, the copper atoms of the penny and the zinc atoms that coat the penny mix and turn gold in color. This mixing of metals is an alloy called “yellow brass.”
What is the value of a 1983 US copper penny?
It’s true — there’s a rare 1983 copper penny (specifically, a 1983-D penny) that’s worth $15,000. It’s a coin that many numismatic experts (those who study coins) still don’t fully understand — because it’s unlike any other copper penny the United States Mint has ever made.
What 1983 Copper pennies are rare?
This rare 1983-D copper penny is likely a type of coin known as a transitional error . In other words, it’s an error coin involving unusual circumstances with its composition during a period when the U.S. Mint was changing the metal content of that coin. Numismatists are still trying to unravel the mystery of 1983-D copper penny.
What is the weight of a 1983 Copper Penny?
The U.S. government allows for minor variances in the weight of a new coin. These are called tolerances. In the case of the rare 1983-D copper penny, it weighs 3.0 grams — which is within the 0.13-gram (plus or minus) tolerance permitted for the traditional copper pennies.
Is a Penny made before 1982 made of pure copper?
So for the past 30 years, pennies have been made with an alloy comprised of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, but pennies minted before 1982 are 95% copper and 5% zinc. The price of copper has more than…