The Cent
1 cent
The cent has changed metals more often than any other U.S. coin. From 1856 to 1864 it was 88% copper and 12% nickel. From 1909 to 1982, Lincoln cents were about 95% copper, except in 1943, when copper was needed for World War II and cents were made of zinc-coated steel. Those steel cents stuck to magnets and caused problems in some vending machines. Since 1982, the cent has been a zinc core with a thin copper plating, only 2.5% copper overall. The U.S. Mint ended cent production for circulation in 2025, and existing cents remain legal tender.
Composition & Tolerances
| Variant | Standard Zinc Cent 1982–2025 | Historic 95% Copper Cent 1909–1982 (not 1943) | Historic Copper-Nickel Cent 1856–1864 | Wartime 1943 Steel Cent 1943 only | Counterfeit Fake 1943 Copper Cent Copper-plated 1943 steel cents |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Copper | 2.5% (plating) | 95% | 88% | 0% | Plating only§ |
| Nickel | — | — | 12% | — | — |
| Zinc | 97.5% (core) | 5% with tin‖ | — | Thin coating | Under the plating§ |
| Other metals | — | Tin in bronze years‖ | — | Steel core | Steel core§ |
| Structure | Copper plating over a zinc core | Solid alloy throughout | Solid alloy throughout | Zinc coating over a steel core; edges uncoated | Copper plating over a steel core |
| Target weight | 2.500 g* | 3.11 g (48 grains)* | 4.67 g (72 grains) | 2.70 g | 2.70 g (steel host coin)§ |
| Weight tolerance | Not published | ±2.0 grains† (about ±0.13 g) | Not published | Not published | None (made to no spec) |
| Composition tolerance | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published | None |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm | 19 mm | 19 mm | 19 mm | 19 mm (host coin) |
| Thickness | 1.52 mm | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Host coin's |
| Edge | Plain | Plain | Plain | Plain, uncoated | Plain (host coin) |
| Magnetic? | No | No | No (copper-nickel alloy) | YES | YES (steel inside)§ |
| Specific gravity | 7.17¶ | 8.83¶ | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| Conductivity | Zinc core 27%, copper skin 100% (of copper) | Not published | Not published | Not published | Not published |
| How to spot it | Lighter; gray zinc shows where the plating fails | Heavier (3.11 g); dated 1909–1982 | Pale color, thick and heavy (4.67 g) | Gray color; sticks to a magnet | Copper color but sticks to a magnet; a genuine 1943 bronze cent will not |
Footnotes
Zinc Cent: * 1982 cents were struck in both alloys; weigh them (3.11 g vs 2.50 g). ¶ Specific gravity values are commonly cited collector figures. Conductivity is a percent of pure copper (IACS).
95% Copper Cent: † Legal tolerance: 2.0 grains on 48 grains (Newman Numismatic Portal). ‖ Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) 1909–42 and 1947–62; brass (95% copper, 5% zinc) 1944–46 and 1962–82.
Copper-Nickel Cent: Flying Eagle cents (1856–58) and copper-nickel Indian Head cents (1859–64) used this alloy.
1943 Steel Cent: The zinc coating did not cover the edges, so these cents rust easily. Because they were magnetic, they caused problems in some vending machines.
Fake 1943 Copper Cent: § Many '1943 copper' cents are copper-plated steel cents and stick to a magnet; others are real bronze cents with an altered date and won't, so check the date as well. Genuine 1943 bronze cents are rare errors; have any candidate authenticated.
Sources
- CopperCoins.com, Cent FAQ: https://www.coppercoins.com/help/cent-faq
- CopperCoins.com, End of an Era: https://www.coppercoins.com/learn/end-of-an-era
- U.S. Mint, Coin Specifications: https://usmint.gov/learn/coin-specifications
- LincolnCents.net, Lincoln Cent Specifications: https://lincolncents.net/lincoln-cent-specifications/
- LincolnCents.net, 1943 Lincoln Steel Cents: https://lincolncents.net/1943-lincoln-steel-cent/
- FlyingEagleCent.com, Specifications: https://flyingeaglecent.com/flying-eagle-cent-coin-specifications/
- Newman Numismatic Portal, Tolerance: https://nnp.library.wustl.edu/concern/dictionaries/dict516903
- CoinTalk, Coin Specific Gravity (collector chart): https://www.cointalk.com/goto/post?id=2132275
- Blue Sea Systems, Electrical Conductivity of Materials: https://www.bluesea.com/support/articles/Materials/108/Electrical_Conductivity_of_Materials