So you’ve started wondering, what exactly is American money made of? Not because you plan on making any (of course), but just out of general curiosity.
If this is you, you’ve come to the right place. The purpose of this article is to provide you with the exact composition of each denomination of the American currency.
In each specific section below, we will talk about the current and historical composition of American money. But for those who just want a snapshot of each coin, I’ve included a table below which gives a quick overview of the current composition of American money.
What is American Money Made Of?
| American Money | Composition |
|---|---|
| Penny | 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper |
| Nickel | 75% Copper, 25% Nickel |
| Dime | 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel |
| Quarter | 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel |
| Half Dollar | 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel |
| Dollar Coin | 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, 2% Nickel |
| Paper Money | 75% Cotton, 25% Linen |
American coins are mostly made up of Copper and Nickel, with the exception of the penny which is composed of Zinc and Copper. While the American dollar is composed of Copper and Nickel, it also contains Zinc and Manganese. American paper money is composed of Cotton and Linen.
Throughout the next section of this article, we will take a deeper dive into each coin and look at when they were first introduced as legal tender. From there, we will look at the coins historical composition and how it’s evolved and changed over time.
Composition of the Penny
The current composition of the American Penny is 97.5% Zinc and 2.5% Copper.
| Current Composition of the Penny | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper | 1787 | Yes |
Historical Composition of the Penny
| Years | Composition |
|---|---|
| 1982–present | 97.5% Zinc, 2.5% Copper |
| 1962–1982 | 95% Copper, 5% Zinc |
| 1947–1962 | 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc |
| 1944–1946 | 95% Copper, 5% Zinc |
| 1943 | Zinc-Coated Steel |
| 1864–1942 | 95% Copper, 5% Tin and Zinc |
| 1856–1864 | 88% Copper, 12% Nickel |
| 1795–1857 | 100% Copper |
| 1793–1795 | 100% Copper |
Composition of the Nickel
The current composition of the American Nickel is 75% Copper and 25% Nickel
| Current Composition of the Nickel | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 75% Copper, 25% Nickel | 1866 | Yes |
*Unable to find precise historical data on the exact composition of the Nickel.
Composition of the Dime
The current composition of the American Dime is 91.67% Copper and 8.33% Nickel.
| Current Composition of the Dime | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel | 1796 | Yes |
Historical Composition of the Dime
| Years | Composition |
|---|---|
| 1965-Present | 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel |
| 1837-1965 | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
| 1796-1837 | 89.24% Silver, 10.76% Copper |
Composition of the Quarter
The current composition of the American Quarter is 91.67% Copper and 8.33% Nickel.
| Current Composition of the Quarter | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel | 1796 | Yes |
Historical Composition of the Quarter
| Years | Composition |
|---|---|
| 1965-Present | 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel |
| 1932-1964 | 90% Copper, 10% Nickel |
| 1796-1931 | Unknown |
Composition of the Half Dollar
The most recent composition of the American Half Dollar was 91.67% Copper and 8.33% Nickel.
| Current Composition of the Half Dollar | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 91.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel | 1794 | Yes, but not still being Minted |
Historical Composition of the Half Dollar
| Years | Composition |
|---|---|
| 1971– 2002* | 97.67% Copper, 8.33% Nickel |
| 1965-1970 | 60% Copper, 40% Silver |
| 1964 | 90% Silver, 10% Copper |
| 1794-1963 | Unknown |
Composition of the Dollar Coin
The most recent composition of the American Dollar Coin was 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, 2% Nickel.
| Current Composition of the Dollar Coin | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 88.5% Copper, 6% Zinc, 3.5% Manganese, 2% Nickel | 1794 | Yes. Only produced as collectibles. |
*Unable to find precise historical data on the exact composition of the Dollar.
Composition of American Paper Money
The current composition of American Paper Money is 75% cotton and 25% Linen.
| Current Composition of American Paper Money | First Introduced | Still Legal Tender? |
|---|---|---|
| 75% Cotton, 25% Linen | 1690 | Yes |
Conclusion
So there you have it – an in depth look at the current and historical composition of the American currency.
If you know of any change in the composition of these coins, please let us know at our contact us page. The goal here is to keep this resource as up to date as possible, so please let us know. We won’t be offended, I promise!
For a similar article, but one that covers both the American and Canadian currencies, check out our article What is Money Made Of | A Complete Guide.
As always, thanks for reading!
Geek, out.
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