How can I tell if a Cent is Copper Alloy?

[coppercoins]

1982 is the only recent year with two different detectable differences in composition.

You are more likely to get struck by lightning twice on a clear day than to find a 1983 copper cent. Probably not a good idea to make your life's quest out of a 1:1,000,000,000 chance.

[Peter]

Depends on what you like to collect Darren. If you are looking to make a date set you will want to have one. Value depends on condition.

(See posts below for a better explanation of this badly written post!!)

[coppercoins]

Other Lincoln cent years with two different (very slight) changes in composition:

1943 (changed weight slightly in May).
1948 (some say shellcase bronze were finished off this year before going back to french bronze - no change in weight.)
1962 (French Bronze and brass cents made this year - no change in weight.)

[coppercoins]

Peter - I read from the statement that he is saying it's only worth collecting if it's a 1 in a billion chance wrong metal coin. That is an incorrect statement, as there are plenty of zinc Lincoln cents made of the correct metal post-1982 that are well worth collecting - as you are well aware.

I believe the OP is hung up on trying to find the quintessential holy grail 1983 brass composition cent - and that's very, very highly unlikely to happen.

[Peter]

I agree with your assessment Charles about this fixation of post 82 copper, but was slow typing and was actually responding to his earlier post that said:

Ok so lets say I have a 1982 cooper penny or a 1960 copper penny are they worth anything or even collecting?

Was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt based on the 1960 date he brought up and point out that any date or composition is worth collecting if you want it. I should have quoted him in my 1st post. By no stretch of the imagination did I mean to imply that he needs a post 82 copper and the rest are worthless, but in re-reading it I see how it seemed I was implying that. Will use the quote function more in the future--my bad!

[newmoneypicker]

Im not caught up on finding a 1983 coin I just want to be educated on the various coins out there.
I would hate to pass up on something because I wasn't educated on what was before me.

[Peter]

That's cool Darren. Charles's explanation of weights and composition here is excellent. Look at his site coppercoins.com and his book--both in his sig, and lincolncentresource.com. Plan to spend a lot of time reading and asking more questions! There are old threads on here that gathered lists of other good reference books that are also worth exploring.