Table of Contents
What causes pennies to turn red?
The Chemistry of Copper Oxygen, water vapor, and various acids react with the copper and cause it to tarnish. This oxidation, combined with other chemical reactions, results in its natural bright reddish orange color to gradually turn into a deep chocolate brown color known as patina.
How much is a 1982 red penny worth?
The average circulated 1982 penny is worth 2 cents or less — so most people don’t think of these old pennies as having much value.
How much is a small date 1982 penny worth?
Zinc Pennies The 1982 zinc penny with no mint mark and the small date is worth around $0.85 in uncirculated condition with an MS 65 grade. The 1982 zinc penny with no mint mark and the large date is worth around $0.50 in uncirculated condition with an MS 65 grade.
Is a red penny rare?
All told, from 1859 to 1909, about 1.85 billion Indian Head pennies were minted. For example, the 1864 red penny, the first to use tin and zinc, is worth between $1,000 and $3,000 US Dollars (USD). The 1877 red penny, on the other hand, the rarest of the mintages, may sell for more than $30,000 USD at the upper end.
What does a red penny mean?
Use red cent to mean an amount of money so small that it’s basically worthless. A waiter might complain that her tips are so bad that she didn’t earn a single red cent. The red cent is symbolic, representing an a tiny amount of money. The original U.S. copper penny was reddish and was also called a red cent.
Why do pennies turn dark?
When oxygen binds with copper, they form a new molecule known as copper oxide. Copper oxide is brownish or sometimes black in color (depending on other things in the penny’s environment). This is why most pennies you see look dirty or tarnished—it’s not actually dirt but copper oxide that makes them look so dull.
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 do I know if my 1982 penny is rare?
Which 1982 Penny Is Worth The Most? The most valuable 1982 penny is a transitional error caused by the move from 95% copper to 99.2% zinc composition. 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.
Are 1982 pennies valuable?
As most 1982 pennies are pretty common, they’re not worth much over face value — especially if they’re worn. In fact, circulated copper cents are worth a couple cents, while normal zinc 1982 Lincoln cents are worth only face value.
Why do copper coins go black?
The change from green to black is a sign of progressive corrosion. It occurs when the copper-hydroxide-carbonate on the penny’s surface reacts further with oxygen and moisture in the air to form copper sulfides.
What is penny corrosion?
A penny doesn’t technically “rust.” The copper plating corrodes, resulting in green surface tarnish. The corrosion is from oxidation — a chemical reaction between the metal and oxygen, water and carbon dioxide in the air.
What is the value of a 1982 small penny?
The average circulated 1982 penny is worth 2 cents or less — so most people don’t think of these old pennies as having much value. If you’re diligent, you might find a 1982-D Small Date copper penny or another valuable error coin like it.
What is the weight of a 1982 small date Penny?
Weigh your 1982 pennies. A copper 1982 penny weighs 3.11 grams , whereas zinc Lincoln cents (or Zincolns) weigh only 2.5 grams .
What is the price of a 1982 Penny?
Copper 1982 pennies sell for 30 cents to 50 cents apiece in average-quality uncirculated. Zinc 1982 pennies sell for $1 to $3 apiece in typical uncirculated grades, depending on the mint mark and date-size combination.
Is there a 1982 Penny?
The 1982-D Small Date copper penny is known as a transitional error coin since it was minted from copper during a year when the United States Mint was beginning to make zinc pennies. The US Mint switched from copper (more specifically, brass) to copper-plated zinc pennies – due to rising copper prices.