When did the US stop making copper pennies?

Question

Now they're made of zinc and plated with copper, I think.

Answer 1

in 1983. When the cost of the copper would have exceeded one cent, the US changed the penny to copper-plated zinc. You can identify these modern zinc cents (some 1982's also) because they do not "ring" when dropped onto a hard surface...mostly a dull thud.

Answer 2

From 1783 to 1837, a cent was pure copper. But newer pennies are made mostly of zinc.

Here's the history, according to the U.S. Mint:

From 1837 to 1857, the cent was made of bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc).

From 1857, the cent was 88 percent copper and 12 percent nickel, giving the coin a whitish appearance.

The cent was again bronze (95 percent copper, and five percent tin and zinc) from 1864 to 1962, except: In 1943, the coin's composition was changed to zinc-coated steel.  This change was only for the year 1943 and was due to the critical use of copper for the war effort.  However, a limited number of copper pennies were minted that year.  

In 1962, the cent's tin content, which was quite small, was removed.  That made the metal composition of the cent 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc.

The alloy remained 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc until 1982, when the composition was changed to 97.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper (copper-plated zinc).  Cents of both compositions appeared in that year.

From 1982 to now the coin composition (copper coated zinc) hasn't changed. But all copper pennies haven't been made since 1837.

Answer 3

that happened a long time ago although i don't know an exact date. it had to do with prices going up for copper in order to keep a penny worth a penny.

same problem has happened again today and they're considering changing the metal once more. to make a penny today costs a mint somewhere around 2 cents so it's just a downward spiral.

Answer 4

1987