---
title: "1982 Penny Value: Copper, Zinc, Large Date and Small Date"
description: "1982 pennies come in copper and zinc, large date and small date. What each is worth, how to tell them apart with a scale, and the rare one people hope for."
canonical: https://dimehound.app/coins/1982-penny-value/
author: Mike Moore
published: 2026-10-08
modified: 2026-10-08
values_checked: Oct 8, 2026
---

# 1982 Penny Value: Copper, Zinc, Large Date and Small Date

By Mike Moore. Published Oct 8, 2026. Updated Oct 8, 2026. Canonical page: https://dimehound.app/coins/1982-penny-value/

Most 1982 pennies are worth one cent. 1982 is the year the Mint switched from 95% copper to copper-plated zinc, so there are copper and zinc versions in large and small dates. Uncirculated ones are worth about 36 cents to $2.50. The famous rarity is a 1982-D small date struck in copper, and only two are known.

- **Copper version:** 95% copper, weighs 3.11 grams.
- **Zinc version:** 97.5% zinc with a copper plating, weighs 2.50 grams.
- **Mint mark:** Under the date. Philadelphia coins have none.

## Value by grade

**1982 penny values in gem uncirculated (MS65)**

| Type | Philadelphia | Denver (D) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Copper, large date | $1.24 | $1.24 |
| Copper, small date | $2.50 | Not regularly made |
| Zinc, large date | $0.61 | $0.49 |
| Zinc, small date | $1.05 | $0.36 |

Retail values from USA Coin Book. Circulated 1982 pennies of every type are worth face value. Values checked Oct 8, 2026.

## What to look for

- Weigh it on a scale that reads to 0.01 g. About 3.1 g means copper. About 2.5 g means zinc.
- Compare the date to another 1982. Small date numbers are visibly smaller than large date numbers.
- A 1982-D that weighs 3.1 g and has a small date is the rare one. Get it authenticated by PCGS or NGC.

## Fakes and lookalikes

- Viral posts claim ordinary 1982 pennies are worth thousands. They are not. The rare version is a specific copper 1982-D small date, and it is confirmed by weight and authentication, not by looks.

## Find my keepers

Dime Hound is a coin scanner for iPhone and Android. Join the waitlist at https://dimehound.app/coins/1982-penny-value/#keepers and we'll email you once, the day it launches.

## FAQ

### Is my 1982 penny worth anything?

Almost always one cent. Only uncirculated coins carry a small premium, and only the 1982-D small date copper is a true rarity.

### How do I tell a copper 1982 penny from a zinc one?

Weigh it. Copper is 3.11 grams and zinc is 2.50 grams. A drop test also works: copper rings, zinc thuds, but a scale is more reliable.

### What is the 1982-D small date copper penny?

A transitional error where a Denver small date penny was struck on an old copper blank. Only two are known, found in 2016 and 2019.

### Is the penny discontinued?

The Mint struck its last circulating penny on Nov 12, 2025. Pennies remain legal tender.

## Related coins

- [1972 Doubled Die Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1972-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1995 Doubled Die Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1995-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1999 Wide AM Penny Value: How to Spot It](https://dimehound.app/coins/1999-wide-am-penny-value/)
- [1943 Copper Penny Value: Is Yours the Real One?](https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-copper-penny-value/)
- [Wheat Penny Value: Which 1909 to 1958 Pennies Are Worth Money](https://dimehound.app/coins/wheat-penny-value/)

## Sources

1. [USA Coin Book, Lincoln Memorial cent values](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/small-cents/lincoln-memorial-cent/)
2. [PCGS CoinFacts, 1982-D 1C Zinc Small Date](https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1982-d-1c-zinc-small-date-rb/146035)
3. [Numismatic News, second 1982-D small date copper discovered](https://www.numismaticnews.net/world-coins/second-1982-d-small-date-copper-alloy-lincoln-cent-discovered)
4. [Numismatic News, rare 1982-D small date copper found](https://www.numismaticnews.net/world-coins/rare-1982-d-small-date-copper-found)
5. [USA Today, valuable copper pennies (Aug 2026)](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2026/08/16/valuable-copper-pennies-worth-20k/91263969007/)
6. [Treasury, penny production FAQ](https://home.treasury.gov/news/featured-stories/penny-production-cessation-faqs)

Values are retail estimates or recorded sale prices from the sources above, checked Oct 8, 2026. What a dealer pays you is usually less than retail.