History of composition
| Years | Material | Mass (grams) |
|---|---|---|
| 1793–1796 | 100% copper | 13.48 |
| 1796–1857 | 100% copper | 10.89 |
| 1856–1864 | 88% copper, 12% nickel (also known as NS-12) | 4.67 |
| 1864–1942 | “bronze” (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) | 3.11 |
| 1943 | zinc-coated steel (also known as 1943 steel cent) | 2.67 |
| 1944–1946 | “brass” (95% copper, 5% zinc) | 3.11 |
| 1946–1962 | “bronze” (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc) | |
| 1962–1981 | “brass” (95% copper, 5% zinc) | |
| 1982 | varies: “brass” (95% copper, 5% zinc) or copper-plated zinc (97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper)[6] | 3.11 or 2.5 |
| 1983–present | 97.5% zinc, 2.5% copper (core: 99.2% zinc, 0.8% copper; plating: pure copper)[7] | 2.5 |
In honor of the Lincoln cent’s 100th anniversary, special 2009 cents were minted for collectors in the same composition as the 1909 coins.
