How rare is a 1982 small date copper penny?

The 1982-P Small Date copper Lincoln cent is one of the most difficult memorial cents to find in high grade condition. They are scarce even in MS64 and MS65 grades. It is one of the most difficult varieties to find in high grade out of all seven different varieties of this date.

How much is a 1982 small date d copper penny worth?

The Rarest and Most Valuable 1982 Pennies

That said, the rarest of the 1982 pennies is the 1982-D small date penny. There's been, so far, only one discovered. The penny is worth 2¢ in its circulated version but very expensive for the rare uncirculated version.

How many 1982-D small date copper pennies have been found?

The 1982-D has been a highly sought-after coin ever since the first one was discovered in Minnesota in 2016 and sold for $18,800 at auction. Now that a second specimen has been found, it gives collectors even more hope of finding one. A second 1982-D Small Date homogenous copper alloy Lincoln cent has been discovered.

Why is a 1982 penny worth $10000?

So for the past 30 years, pennies have been made with an alloy comprised of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper, but pennies minted before 1982 are 95% copper and 5% zinc. The price of copper has more than quadrupled over the past 10 years.

How do I know if my 1982 penny is rare?

For pennies dated 1982, when both copper and zinc cents were made, and best way to determine their composition is to weigh them. Solid copper pennies weigh 3.11 grams (+/- 0.130 g.), whereas the copper plated zinc pennies weigh only 2.5 grams (+/- 0.100 g.).

1982 Copper Penny Worth $10 000!

How can you tell if you have a 1982 D small date penny?

The 1982-D small date bronze Lincoln cent is a rare and valuable transitional error! So, how do you find them? There are two key diagnostics: the size of the date and the coin's weight. The 1982-D small date bronze weighs about 3.1 grams, versus only 2.5 grams for the far more common zinc issue.

How can you tell if a 1982 D penny is copper?

For pennies dated 1982, when both copper and zinc cents were made, and best way to determine their composition is to weigh them. Solid copper pennies weigh 3.11 grams (+/- 0.130 g.), whereas the copper plated zinc pennies weigh only 2.5 grams (+/- 0.100 g.).

Why is the 1982 D penny rare?

The Mint switched over from striking copper-alloy to copper-plated zinc planchets sometime in mid-1982 as a cost saving measure – the copper-alloy planchets were too expensive to strike and the Mint was losing money.

What is the most valuable 1982 D penny?

A 1982-D Small Date, found by a collector searching for pure copper alloy cents being saved for their melt value, sold for $18,800, and a 1983-D Lincoln cent, found after reading the book, Strike It Rich with Pocket Change, sold for $17,625.

What is the rarest copper penny?

The 1943 copper-alloy cent is one of the most enigmatic coins in American numismatics — and reportedly the most valuable Lincoln penny of all.

How much is a 1982 small date no mint mark penny worth?

1982 Penny with No Mint Mark

You'll pay at least 0.80 USD to get the 1982 zinc penny with a small date in a mint state. The 1982 zinc penny in the same mint state with a large date will cost you around 0.30 USD.

How much is a 1982 D large date copper penny worth?

USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1982-D Lincoln Memorial Penny (Copper - Large Date Variety) is Worth $0.33 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts. Also, click here to Learn About Grading Coins.

Are 1982 pennies 95% copper?

It is a well known fact that pennies minted from 1982 and back are made of 95% copper. These copper pennies are not rare at all.

How much is a 1982 D zinc small Date penny worth?

USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1982-D Lincoln Memorial Penny (Zinc - Small Date Variety) is Worth $0.33 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition.

How much does a 1982 small date zinc penny weigh?

A 1982 zinc penny has a tolerance of 0.10 grams — so an authentic one could weigh as little as 2.40 grams or as much as 2.60 grams.

Are copper pennies worth saving?

Pennies used to be made from 95% copper, at least until 1982. 1 Since 2000, the price of copper has risen dramatically, making the meltdown value of these pennies more than the face value of the coin.

What year were copper pennies rare?

There are few coins as popular as the 1943 copper penny, an extremely rare mint error that is worth a lot of money. The 1943 bronze Lincoln cent first came to light in the mid-1940s and quickly took the numismatic world by storm.

What is a 1982 D error penny?

It's the 1982-D "small date" Lincoln Memorial cent made from copper. There wasn't supposed to be any "small date" bronze Lincoln cents struck in Denver in 1982. Leftover copper planchets struck with the new "Small Date" dies meant for zinc coins caused this error coin rarity.

Can you melt pennies and sell the copper?

Pennies and nickels contain copper, zinc, and other metals that are of great monetary value. It is because of this that melting down these metals for the sole intention of selling to offshore or local metal scraping industries is illegal.

What pennies should I keep?

Is picking up a penny worth your time?

To put it simply, picking up just one penny or one coin would not impact your life in any way – whether you are Bill Gates or not. On the other hand, watching out for spare change and collecting it over a period of time will surely help you save small amounts of money – sans the need of putting in any effort.

How much is a 1982 small date worth?

USA Coin Book Estimated Value of 1982 Lincoln Memorial Penny (Copper - Small Date Variety) is Worth $0.56 or more in Uncirculated (MS+) Mint Condition. Click here to Learn How to use Coin Price Charts.

How many 1982 pennies are copper?

Evolution of the Penny

Finally, in 1982, the coin would evolve into its modern form of only 5% copper and 95% zinc. The modern penny has the least amount of copper with a small 2.5% copper plating and a 97.5% zinc base. So now, you know!