Didn't want to put this on silver thread.
Im wondering about the copper pennies if dealers might buy them by weight. With all the silver talk and the pennies being discontinued. I went threw bunch stuff sorted the pennies out. Some Ive sorted a bit and easy to quick pick the wheaties.. some are going to need to be cleaned before can even go threw change counter if at all. Newer stuff goes bad fast.
So Im trying to decide if I should take time sort out the 1982 and older? Or just dump the mess in change counter.
Is it worth my time? Will coin dealer maybe pay few cent more?

Mac

Might check them with a coin price guide. Maybe sort out any you could sell for 10 cents or what ever. If you have enough you need a coin machine you likely have a few you ought to sell at a coin shop.

It is illegal to melt pennies into bullion. That may change someday. Its legal to melt pre 64 silver.

Don't clean old pennies for collectors, last I knew, its frowned upon except maybe soap and water to get easily removed crud off of them. I made that mistake in selling some pre-1920 Lincoln pennies.

Best thing to do, only if you feel it's worth your time.
Is get a magnifying glass the stronger the better, and inspect each coin for misprints, double die, and many other oddities .
Some could be worth 1000's of dollars.
Never know until you look.

Not all 1982 Pennies are Copper.

Some zinc pennies I've saved -






Upper pair , 1988 penny and one that is called a 'missed die' from the same roll.
Lower one , a 1990? off center strike.

Have you looked them up?
There's books on them, a Red book, and a Blue book , along with a book on miss prints.
Seems I've seen some myself, have an old jewelry box I made in JR High shop class, full of old coins and oddities .

I knew they changed the composition of the metal, but zinc?

I call all post 1982 zinc , all pre 1982 copper. Don't know if that is the proper terms , but are just names for all copper pennies vs copper clad zinc filled ones.

I haven't looked up the values but have heard the missed die one could be worth $10-$20. I also have another missed die , but in slightly lower grade and without other coins to identify it's year.

The offset one is a minor error , probably not too valuable but worth a little something. I'll have to look it up.


I've kept a keen eye for error coins and bills over the years. Got a tiny collection. My pride and joy is a $5 bill with what is called a 'reverse overleaf '. On the face of the bill , there is part of the back of the bill (greenback) printed at an odd angle and VERY obvious. I've heard it's worth $300+

I've accumulated all of my finds at face value.

Copper pennies currently have a melt value of 3.96 cents each.



Nearly four times face value is a lot.

Keith

In the early 70"s my father in law filled buckets with pennies, #$2 copper was $2.00 a pound The stock market was under 1000. now 49,000. We sold those pennies to a coin dealer a year ago 1.5 cents each. My Father in law was a dentist, raised poor financially, extremely hard working,,, but didnt know money at all.

I’m selling all my pennies for a nickel apiece!

Sounds like a good deal, just wonder how much they'll be worth if left to your grandchildren?
I would still look at them very close if I were you, there's a reason someone is offering you 5 cents each.

If anyone cares, I think the post-1982 (and some 1982 as well) U.S. pennies are 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper.

U.S. nickels used to be (and maybe still are, but there was talk a few years back to change the composition or go to stainless steel) something like 85% copper.

A number of other countries have gone to some sort of stainless alloy for any coin that they want to look "silvery".

When Im talking dirty Im looking at mess like this that came mostly came out of water. Their so dirty cant run them threw change counter. Just trying to read dates on some of these are not possible. Even harder to tell if a miss hit or other flaws.. Im just wonder if it pays to pull any coppers out. These are the worst of the lot. I haven't even tried checking dates on these. Thinking just short vinegar bath then tumble until dont jamb coin counter.




Mac

Wow...

I sold some pre’82, mostly wheats, recently at a coin show for just under 4 cents apiece.

The ones in that pile with the white spots are most likely the newer zinc. Some literally crumble from my guess acid in water.
Im not sure a bank would even except them as damaged.
I did learn that the newer zinc wheel weights. When I scrapped a bucket of them. They went in the breaker aluminum pile. Thats sheet aluminum with other mixed metals? Not sure that is every scrap dealer now. This was several years ago.

Mac