A circulated 1982 penny is worth one cent, or approximately two to three cents if it is the copper version, for the metal that cannot legally be melted. What makes 1982 interesting is that it is the year the US Mint switched the cent from copper to copper-plated zinc in the middle of production, and changed the size of the date numerals at the same time. The result is seven regular varieties from Philadelphia and Denver: large date and small date, copper and zinc, with and without a D. They all look very similar, and only a precise scale separates copper from zinc. Uncirculated coins in top condition sell for $5 to a few hundred dollars depending on the variety, and a single 1982-D small date copper cent, discovered in 2016, is the one true rarity of the year.
Quick answer
- A worn 1982 penny is worth one to three cents, whichever variety it is.
- Copper weighs 3.11 grams, zinc 2.50 grams; a kitchen scale is not precise enough to tell them apart.
- Only top-grade uncirculated coins bring real money, plus the one known 1982-D small date copper.
How to check yours, step by step
A pocket scale reading to 0.01 gram, a 5x or 10x loupe and a reference photo of each date size are all that is needed.
- Look below the date for a mint mark. It is on the obverse, directly below the 1982. A D means Denver. No letter means Philadelphia, since cents never carry a P. An S means a proof from San Francisco, sold only in proof sets.
- Weigh the coin on a scale that reads to 0.01 gram. A copper cent weighs about 3.11 grams. A zinc cent weighs about 2.50 grams. Worn coins lose a few hundredths of a gram, so anything around 3.0-3.1 is copper and anything around 2.4-2.5 is zinc.
- Look at the 2 in the date. On the large date, the 2 is bigger, sits close to the rim and its lower stroke runs fairly straight into the base. On the small date, the 2 is smaller, more delicate and bows outward before it curves into the base.
- Compare the space between the date and the rim. The large date numerals reach almost to the rim. The small date sits noticeably farther from it, with a visible gap below the 2.
- Check the tops of the digits. On the small date, the numerals are evenly sized and their tops form a neat line. On the large date, the 8 and the 2 look heavier and the 2 stands a little higher against the 8.
- Combine the three answers. Mint, metal and date size give you the variety. Use the tables below to see which of the seven it is and whether the combination exists.
- Judge the condition. Uncirculated cents show no wear on Lincoln's cheek, jaw and hair, and keep mint luster. Copper cents are graded by color as well: red, red-brown or brown. Zinc cents often show bubbled or peeling plating, which is damage, not an error.
Why a kitchen scale will not work
Most kitchen scales read in steps of 1 gram. A 3.11 gram copper cent reads as 3 grams, and a 2.50 gram zinc cent can read as 2 or 3 grams depending on how the scale rounds. The difference you are trying to see is 0.61 grams, less than the step of the scale. A digital pocket scale reading to 0.01 gram costs around $10-20 and settles every 1982 cent instantly. If you have a large pile, weigh groups of ten on a kitchen scale first: ten copper cents come to about 31 grams, ten zinc cents to about 25 grams, and a mixed group falls in between, telling you to sort that group one by one.
Some people use a drop test: a copper cent dropped on a hard surface rings with a higher, clearer tone, while zinc sounds duller. It works with practice but it is not as reliable as weight.
The seven 1982 varieties and what they are worth
These approximate values assume original coins with no damage or cleaning. "Circulated" is a coin from change. "Uncirculated" is a typical coin from a roll. "Top grade" means a coin graded MS67 red or higher by PCGS or NGC.
| Variety | Metal | Weight | Circulated | Uncirculated | Top grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 large date | Copper | 3.11 g | 2-3 cents | $0.25-1 | $40-150 |
| 1982 small date | Copper | 3.11 g | 2-3 cents | $0.50-2 | $40-200 |
| 1982 large date | Zinc | 2.50 g | 1 cent | $0.25-1 | $30-200 |
| 1982 small date | Zinc | 2.50 g | 1 cent | $0.25-1 | $30-200 |
| 1982-D large date | Copper | 3.11 g | 2-3 cents | $0.25-1 | $30-150 |
| 1982-D large date | Zinc | 2.50 g | 1 cent | $0.25-1 | $30-200 |
| 1982-D small date | Zinc | 2.50 g | 1 cent | $0.50-2 | $40-300 |
| 1982-D small date | Copper | 3.11 g | One known | Five figures | Not applicable |
The top grade figures move with the population of graded coins, and the highest grades, MS68 and above, can sell for considerably more. For any coin in normal circulated condition, the variety makes almost no difference to value.
The 1982-D small date copper
For decades collectors believed only seven varieties existed, and that the Denver Mint had not struck small date dies on copper blanks. In 2016 a single 1982-D small date cent weighing about 3.1 grams was found and authenticated by a grading service. It remains the only widely reported example. Its value is in five figures. Every collector who weighs 1982-D small date cents is hoping for a second one, and the odds are extremely long. A 1982-D small date that weighs 2.5 grams is the normal zinc variety.
Other 1982 cents worth knowing about
| Coin | Approximate value |
|---|---|
| 1982-S proof, copper, from a proof set | $2-5 |
| 1982 struck on a zinc blank with no copper plating | $50-200 |
| 1982 off-center, clipped or double-struck | $5-100+ depending on the error |
| Zinc cent with bubbled or peeling plating | 1 cent |
| 1982 cent that looks silver or gold colored | 1 cent, altered after it left the Mint |
A cent with missing plating shows bare grey zinc on a full, sharp strike. A cent whose plating has worn or been stripped later usually shows patchy edges and pitting. The error coins guide covers the real errors and the damage that imitates them.
Why 1982 has so many varieties
By the late 1970s, the copper in a cent was approaching its face value, and the Mint chose to switch to a zinc core with a thin copper plating. The switch happened during 1982, so both Philadelphia and Denver struck copper cents for part of the year and zinc cents for the rest. In the same year the Mint introduced a new, smaller date style on the master hub. The two changes overlapped in time, which produced the combinations of metal and date size. Denver used small date dies only after it had moved to zinc, which is why the 1982-D small date copper should not exist and why the one known example matters.
The zinc cent is 97.5 percent zinc with 2.5 percent copper, all of the copper in the plating. The copper cent is 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. That is the reason for the 0.61 gram difference and the slightly different color, though color alone is unreliable on circulated coins.
Searching rolls and jars
The practical way to hunt 1982 cents is to pull every 1982 from a jar or a box of rolls, sort by mint mark, and then weigh only the 1982-D small dates first, since that is where the rarity would be. After that, sort the Philadelphia coins by date size and metal if you want a full set of the seven. A complete set in uncirculated condition is a popular low-cost collecting project and sells for about $5-20 as a group. In circulated condition, the set is worth a few cents more than face, and most dealers will not buy one.
Copper cents from before 1983 are also sorted by some people for their metal content. That is legal to hold, but melting cents and exporting them in bulk are prohibited, and at current copper prices a 95 percent copper cent holds only two or three cents of metal. Holding a few thousand copper cents ties up space for very little value.
Common mistakes
- Using a kitchen scale. Its 1 gram steps are coarser than the difference between copper and zinc. Use a scale that reads to 0.01 gram.
- Judging the metal by color. Both versions have a copper surface. Toning, cleaning and lighting make color useless for sorting.
- Expecting money for a worn coin. Even the scarcer varieties are worth a cent or two in circulated condition.
- Calling bubbled plating an error. Zinc cents corrode under the plating. It is damage and adds nothing.
- Hoarding copper cents to melt. Melting or exporting US cents for their metal is prohibited, and the copper is worth only a couple of cents per coin anyway.
- Missing the D. The mint mark is small. Use a loupe before deciding a coin is from Philadelphia.
What to photograph
Use daylight, no flash, and keep the phone flat above the coin.
- The obverse straight on, with the date and the area below it readable.
- A close-up of the date, filling most of the frame, to show the date size.
- The coin on a 0.01 gram scale, with the reading visible.
- The reverse straight on, which helps judge condition and any plating damage.
- An angled photo under a lamp for any coin that looks uncirculated, so luster and color show.
When to get it looked at in person
Grading a 1982 cent is only worth the cost in a few cases.
- A local coin dealer can confirm the variety and the metal quickly, but most will not pay much for any single 1982 cent unless it is uncirculated and exceptional.
- PCGS or NGC grading costs from about $20-50 per coin, plus shipping and fees. It makes sense for a copper 1982-D small date candidate, a real mint error, or an uncirculated coin with full original red color and no marks that could reach MS67 or higher.
- For a candidate 1982-D small date copper, weigh it on two different precise scales, confirm the D and the small date against reference photos, then send it to PCGS or NGC. Nothing else will settle it.
The what pennies are worth money guide covers the other cents worth pulling from a jar, and the 1943 steel penny guide covers the other famous metal change year.