Is it better to use pre-1982 cents when squishing pennies in those souvenir penny machines?

Question

I have read this but I don't know why it is better to use pre-1982 pennies.

Answer 1

The advantage to using pre-1982 pennies is that halfway through 1982 the mint began to make pennies with a zinc core. Before 1982 they were 97% copper and 3%zinc. Currently, they are 3% copper and 97% zinc. When you squish a zinc penny you will usually get zinc stripes in the design. After it is squished a zinc penny is highly susceptible to corrosion as well. A copper penny is much easier to clean. If you get a zinc penny wet or use an acid on it it will be ruined, frequently turning black.

For the person who said that the penny machines don't actually squish your penny, YOU ARE WRONG! I have squished thousands of pennies and I assure you that the penny you put in is the penny you get out almost all the time. There are no pre made tokens in the machines. Some machines in Canada (where it is illegal to deface coins for any reason) will substitute a zinc American penny for your Canadian penny but you are still squishing the penny. All you have to do to confirm this is look at the side of the machine and watch while someone is running it. You will see the penny drop down to the steel dies. The dies turn and imprint your penny with design in the machine.

Squished pennies are awesome!

Answer 2

First, pennies made prior to 1982 are 100% copper. Pennies made after 1981 are 90% zinc, and only 10% copper. That might be why people suggest you use all copper pennies in the "penny squishing machine". I must warn you though, most of those souvenier penny machines don't actually squish your penny. It just appears that way. What happens is, you insert a penny, the machine makes a bunch of noise, and then it spits out a premade token.