Give a Yiti

How are the current copper/zinc pennies manuafactured? My inquiring mind wants to know: Is the raw coil stock a sandwitch of zinc with copper on both sides? Or are the blanks punched from zinc and copper plated before striking? Or are the blanks punched from zinc, struck and then copper plated? The edge of a penny looks like it's all copper , unlike the edges of other coins, like quarters, where you can see the copper colored center material. So I'm expecting to learn that copper plating is involved. I tried looking for an answer at the US Mint's web site but didn't find one. They do have a rather nice virtual tour here: http://tinyurl.com/5sxxn It was interesting to learn that the sculpted masters for coins are about dinner plate sized and a rather arcane looking pantagraph engraving machine makes a coin size master from which the striking dies are decended. Jeff

How are the current copper/zinc pennies manuafactured? My inquiring mind wants to know: Is the raw coil stock a sandwitch of zinc with copper on both sides? Or are the blanks punched from zinc and copper plated before striking? Or are the blanks punched from zinc, struck and then copper plated? The edge of a penny looks like it's all copper , unlike the edges of other coins, like quarters, where you can see the copper colored center material. So I'm expecting to learn that copper plating is involved. I tried looking for an answer at the US Mint's web site but didn't find one. They do have a rather nice virtual tour here: http://tinyurl.com/5sxxn It was interesting to learn that the sculpted masters for coins are about dinner plate sized and a rather arcane looking pantagraph engraving machine makes a coin size master from which the striking dies are decended. Jeff The 'real' pennies we use in the UK are made from copper-plated steel. Leon

A slight change of subject. I think the new quarters and nickels suck. The stamping process leave lightly embossed coins, which frankly look as if they were made in India or some third world country.  I think the older US coins were better stamped, and frankly better designed.  Boo Hiss to the new coins, a pox on their designers, a plague on the people who stamp them out. Brownnsharp

The 'real' pennies we use in the UK are made from copper-plated steel. Next you are going to tell us that you guys speak 'real' english.

How are pennies made? Be in a manufacturing business!!!