History quiz

How much copper is in a penny before 1983 and after 1984?

Before 1983, U.S. pennies were made of 95% copper and 5% zinc. This means that a pre-1983 penny contained 2.5 grams of copper.

After 1982, the composition of the penny was changed to 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. This means that a post-1983 penny contains only 0.125 grams of copper.