How do you extract zinc from pennies?
Hydrochloric acid (HCl), known in the hardware store as muriatic acid, is sold for cleaning concrete. But it will also dissolve the zinc core of a penny, leaving a foil of copper roughly a thousandth of an inch thick bearing the original image of the coin.
Is it against the law to melt pennies?
It is not illegal to melt, destroy, or modify any U.S. coins in the United States.
Can pennies be made of zinc?
The composition of pennies changed in late 1982, when zinc became the primary metal instead of copper. Before 1982, pennies were forged of 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc. However, as copper became more expensive, it was abandoned as the primary metal. Pennies are now made of a zinc core and a thin copper coating.
Are pennies worth more melted?
Effective today, the U.S. Mint has implemented an interim rule that makes it illegal to melt nickels and pennies, or to export them in mass quantities. With the soaring price of copper, a melted-down penny or nickel is now worth more than it would be in its regular state at face value.
How much zinc is in a penny?
2.4375 grams
A modern United States penny has a mass of 2.500 grams according to the US Mint. Since a penny is composed of 97.50% zinc and 2.50% copper, it therefore contains 2.4375 grams of zinc and 0.0625 grams of copper.
What percent of pennies are zinc?
The Mint has made pennies of 98.5 percent zinc and 2.5 percent copper since 1982.
What is the penalty for melting pennies?
Most Read Nation & World Stories. The new regulations prohibit the melting of 1-cent and 5-cent coins, with a penalty of up to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000 for people convicted of violating the rule.
What is the scrap value of a copper penny?
about one and a half cents
Because of this, older pennies that contain copper are often considered to be worth more than their face value in scrap metal. Many estimate that each copper penny is worth about one and a half cents, though this fluctuates every day with the market value of copper.
What is the ratio of zinc to copper in a penny?
The new penny would consist of 2.4 percent copper and 97.6 percent zinc, reversing the ratios in the current coin, which is about 95 percent copper and 5 percent zinc.