Copper penny melt value calculator
Copper penny melt value calculator for pre-1982 US cents. Computes copper and zinc scrap content from statutory 3.11-gram gross coin weight.
Penny melt value by alloy
1982 has both alloys. Confirm the variety before choosing. Earlier bronze cents and 1943 steel cents are excluded.
Leave measured weight empty to use original standard mass. One ordinary pound is 453.59237 g; prices per troy ounce do not belong in these fields.
THEORETICAL METAL CONTENT · USD
Copper + zinc value
Enter copper and zinc prices in USD per ordinary pound.
US penny melting restrictionUS rules generally prohibit melting, treating or exporting one-cent coins, subject to specific exceptions and licences. This metal-content figure is not a permitted melting profit or a buyer’s offer. Read 31 CFR Part 82 ↗
Check the alloy before the arithmetic
Penny melt value is the copper and zinc content priced by weight. The Mint removed tin from the cent alloy in 1962 and changed to copper-plated zinc during 1982. Date alone does not separate the two 1982 compositions. The current 2.50 g cent contains 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper. US Mint alloy history ↗ · Current penny specifications ↗
Metal value = (copper grams × copper price/lb + zinc grams × zinc price/lb) ÷ 453.59237. Refining costs, condition and collector premiums are not included in the metal-content calculation.