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The penny, also known as the cent, is a coin in the United States representing one-hundredth of a dollar.It has been the lowest face-value physical unit of U.S. currency since the abolition of the half-cent in 1857 (the abstract mill, which has never been minted, equal to a tenth of a cent, continues to see limited use in the fields of taxation and finance).
The English penny (plural "pence"), originally a coin of 1.3 to 1.5 grams (0.042 to 0.048 troy ounces; 0.046 to 0.053 ounces) pure silver, was introduced c. 785 by King Offa of Mercia. These coins were similar in size and weight to the continental deniers of the period and to the Anglo-Saxon sceats which had preceded it.
Composition Catalog number Produced by Notes Bronze: J2051/P2073 United States Mint: Brass: J2052 United States Mint Zinc: J2053 United States Mint Zinc-coated steel: J2054/P2074 United States Mint This composition was chosen for the 1943 cent: Manganese: J2055/P2075 United States Mint White metal: J2056 United States Mint Aluminum: J2057/P2076 ...
The Lincoln cent or Lincoln penny is also colloquially referred to as a wheat penny because the reverse features two wheat heads. The 1909 penny weighs 3.11 g (0.110 oz) and has a 19 mm (0.75 in) diameter with a plain edge. The composition of the penny is bronze. [1] Its metal composition is 95% copper, 2.5% tin and 2.5% zinc. [2]
The unique composition of the coin (low-grade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%-copper-based bronze composition) has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, zinc cent and steelie. The 1943 steel cent features the same Victor David Brenner design for the Lincoln cent which had been in use since 1909.
"Circulating Coins Production data".United States Mint. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016.; United States Mint. Archived 2017-01-31 at the Wayback Machine; Archived 2007-03-14 at the Wayback Machine dead links
A composition of 96% aluminum (with trace elements for stability) was chosen. [3] [7] The composition was chosen due to its longevity on coin die use and aluminum's high resistance to tarnishing. [8] Although they were produced in 1973, they were struck using 1974 dated dies in anticipation of release into circulation in that year. [3] [6]
Pre-1992 British pennies were made of 97% copper; but as of 2008, based on the price of copper, the value of a penny from this period is 1.5 new-pence. Modern British pennies are now made of copper-plated steel. Cupronickel, a base metal alloy with varying proportions of copper and nickel, was introduced as a cheaper alternative for silver in ...