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What is a penny made of?



pennyUnited States Mint image

I REALLY need to know if a penny is made of zinc and copper alloy, if not what is. Also What's a metal whose 2+ ions form blue aqueous solutions?!?! Help VERY much appreciated.

Josh
What a penny is made of - Atlanta, Georgia, America
2004


Brief answers:

Pennies are copper plated zinc.

Cupric ions (Cu+2) forms blue aqueous solutions (like CuSO4).

James Totter
James Totter, CEF
- Tallahassee, Florida
2004



Curiously enough, Canadian pennies are made of steel coated with copper. So the Canadian penny has joined many of its brethren in being magnetic.

lee gearhart
Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2004


Hi, Josh. Getting back to U.S. pennies --

Since 1983 they are made of a zinc core with a thin plating of copper on them. Before 1982 they were solid copper (not 100 percent pure copper, but solid through and through). 1943 only, they were a steel core with a plating of zinc (which means pennies from that year were magnetic). Good luck.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
October 30, 2008



Q. Why were pennies made?

Kathryn l
student - windlake wisconsin us
November 10, 2009


A. Hi, Kathryn. People got tired of trying to keep track of who owe who a fifth of a nickel or three-fifths of a nickel and wanted a coin they could put in their pocket instead. At least that's my 40% of a nickel's worth.

Regards,

Ted Mooney, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
November , 2009


thumbs up signThank you so much! Your answers and site were extremely helpful.. and filled with fun facts!

Joy Douglass
- Sellersville Pennsylvania USA
April 25, 2011




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