How Much Does A Penny Weigh? Quick Coins And Pennies Facts For Kids

Oluwatosin Michael
Oct 20, 2023 By Oluwatosin Michael
Originally Published on Nov 04, 2021
info_i
Huge pile of the US coins

Did you know that there are approximately 181 copper-plated zinc pennies in a pound and that 20,000 pennies are worth $200?

A penny is worth one cent and it takes 50 coins to make a half dollar and 100 pennies to make one dollar. The Lincoln penny weighs 0.09 0z (2.5 g) and the Union shield penny weighs 0.11 oz (3.11 g).

Ten pennies make a dime and five pennies make a nickel. A quarter is made by 25 pennies and it takes 50 pennies to make half a dollar.

US pennies have been minted since 1982. Pennies weigh either 0.09 oz (2.5 g) or 0.11 oz (3.11 g). Then came the modern Lincoln pennies issued in 1982, each weighing 0.09 oz (2.5 g).

The percentage of copper in Lincoln pennies was 95%. It is said that Lincoln pennies came after Indian Head Pennies.

These rolls of pennies were minted in 1859, these pennies' composition includes copper and nickel. A roll of pennies features 50 pennies, each weighing 0.088 oz (2.49 g), and a roll of pennies weighs around 0.16 oz (4.67 g). The one-cent coin is known to be minted before even the Indian head penny.

The reason they were not called pennies before was that they were just considered pieces. The Union Shield penny weighs 0.11 oz (3.11 g) and is 2.5% copper and 97.5% zinc.

Did you know that a roll of nickels is worth $2, a roll of quarters is worth $10, while a roll of pennies is worth 0.50¢? A unique coin was minted in 1943 which weighed about 0.09 oz (2.5 g).

It was made up of steel. What composition of materials like copper and zinc is used to make pennies? How many pennies are in a coin?

To know answers to these questions, keep reading the information provided in this article! After reading all about the weight of pennies from the mint, check how much does a nickel weigh and how much does a quarter weigh?

How much does a real penny weigh?

In various nations, a penny is either a coin (pl. pennies) or a unit of cash (pl. pence). It is generally the smallest denomination within a monetary system and is derived from the Carolingian denarius. It is nowadays the official name of the British penny and the unofficial name of the American one-cent coin.

The original penny was a silver coin that weighed 0.09 oz (2.5 g). However, the modern Lincon Pennies or the American One-cent coin started minting in 1983.

They are made of mainly two metals, in the proportion of 97.5% Zinc and 2.5% copper, and are also referred to as Zinc pennies. The penny is made of Zinc and is then electroplated with a layer of copper.

It weighs exactly 0.08 oz (2.49 g), has a diameter of 0.75 in (19.05 mm) and a thickness of 0.06 in (1.52 mm).

Each penny uses 0.08 oz (2.49 g) of zinc and 0.002 oz (0.06 g) of nickel which makes a total of 0.08 0z (2.49 g). The worth of the metals used to make a cent costs more than the face value of the cent itself.

How much does a penny weigh in pounds?

Did you know penny coins from the UK possess a mild steel core and have been electroplated with copper? When it comes to the UK, 10,000 pennies are worth £100.

A pound is exactly equal to 2.20 kg and a kg is 1,000 g, which makes a cent, worth about £0.005. A British penny or 1p was made of bronze alloy until 1992. Bronze is made by mixing 97% copper, zinc 2.5%, 0.5% tin in their respective proportions.

Since September 1992, British Pennies have been made of copper-plated steel. Their thickness varied with the latter being 0.06 in (1.52 mm) and the latter being 0.064 in (1.65 mm) in thickness. They have the same diameter of 0.8 in (20.3 mm) and weigh 0.0078 lb (3.56 g).

The British penny is exactly £0.01 in currency. And a US cent is worth £0.007 worth of currency.

Stack of Thai coins and pennies.

How much does a penny weigh in ounces?

When the U.S government proposed the Coinage Act of 1792, pennies went to production for the first time. Since 1792, pennies, which were minted, all weighed 0.48 oz (13.48 g) and were 100% made of copper, 12% of nickel, and 88% of copper composed a penny of 0.164 oz (4.67 g).

These pennies made from copper and nickel were used from 1856-1864. Did you know a roll of nickels is worth $2?

The US minted a resigned penny, which was newly brought into the market from 1864-1942. This penny weighed 0.11 oz (3.11 g).

The primary composition of these pennies was bronze. Bronze was made up of 95% copper, and 5% of zinc and tin.

Then, in the year 1943, the zinc-coated steel penny was introduced. It weighed 0.095 oz and was made from zinc-coated steel to free up copper for the use of the army as the demand for copper shot up considerably during the second World War.

The current US pennies used since the introduction of the Lincoln penny in 1982 weighs 0.088 oz (2.49 g) and are made of copper-plated zinc. The composition of 0.088 oz (2.49 g) of the Lincon penny is brass, which includes 95% of copper, and 5% zinc.

The thickness of a penny is 0.06 in (1.52 mm). The diameter of this penny is 0.75 in (19.05 mm).

For pennies that weigh 0.109 oz (3.11 g), the weight of a roll of pennies will be 5.45 oz (155.5 g).

How much does a 1982 penny weigh?

The penny was first introduced in 1793 has since gone through several compositions and design changes. It was first measured in terms of grains. A grain is a unit of weight, weighing roughly around 0.002 oz (0.065 g). The early pennies were made of pure copper and weighed 0.48 oz (13.48 g).

However, its composition changed frequently for the next 70 years. In 1864, the coins minted were made out of a bronze alloy.

The alloy consisted of 95% copper, 5% tin, and traces of zinc. These coins weighed 0.11 oz (3.11 g) because of wartime copper needs; zinc-coated steel cents were produced for a brief period in 1943, at the height of World War II. A few 1943 copper pennies were made from 1942 planchets that were still in bins.

Did you know that a copper penny is 95% copper, and 5% zinc? These coins were much lighter than the previous ones and weighed only 0.09 oz (2.5 g) instead of the 0.11 oz (3.11 g) of copper cents.

Similarly, the existence of certain 1944 steel pennies had been established.

Salvaged ammunition shells were used in the minting process from 1944-1946, which weighed 0.11 oz (3.11 g), and it was not uncommon to find coins with streaks of brass or a significantly darker polish than previous issues. All coins minted during this period consisted mainly of copper with nickel, or zinc, and were 0.11 oz (3.11 g) in weight.

The composition of the cent was altered in 1982 when the value of the copper in the coin began to increase by over one cent. Some 1982 pennies were made of 97.5% zinc metal, while others were made of 95% copper.

United States pennies coined after 1982 have been zinc with copper plating, except for 2009 bicentennial cents produced exclusively for collectors. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2013, the average one-cent coin cost the United States Mint 1.83¢, down from 2.41¢ in FY 2011.

A penny is exactly $0.01, each penny is exactly 0.088 oz (2.5 g). Therefore, 10,000 pennies will have a denomination of $100.

A hundred dollars in pennies would weigh 25,000 g (25 kg). About 24.37 kg of zinc and 0.63 kg of copper can be extracted from $100 worth of pennies. The commercial price of one kilo of zinc is $3.05, and one kilo of copper is $9.17, which makes it worth around $80.

However, the cost of manufacturing a penny is much more than its face value. The modern penny comprises 2.5% copper, and 97.5% zinc metal.

When it comes to weight, 100 pennies weigh 0.55 lb (250 g). Therefore, 10,000 pennies weigh 55.11 lb (25 kg) and 80,000 pennies weigh 440 lb (200 kg).

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how much does a penny weigh?

Quick coins and pennies facts for kids, then why not take a look at what kind of dog is bolt? Fascinating Disney dog facts for kids, or cold-blooded animals: Curious animal body temperature facts for kids.

We Want Your Photos!
We Want Your Photos!

We Want Your Photos!

Do you have a photo you are happy to share that would improve this article?
Email your photos

More for You

See All

Written by Oluwatosin Michael

Bachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

Oluwatosin Michael picture

Oluwatosin MichaelBachelor of Science specializing in Microbiology

With a Bachelor's in Microbiology from the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Ogun State, Oluwatosin has honed his skills as an SEO content writer, editor, and growth manager. He has written articles, conducted extensive research, and optimized content for search engines. His expertise extends to leading link-building efforts and revising onboarding strategies. 

Read full bio >