2007-09-16 06:40:27 · 4 answers · asked by hisknibs 1 in Games & Recreation ➔ Hobbies & Crafts
US gold and silver coins have always contained copper, pure gold and silver are too soft to make durable coins.
2007-09-16 06:45:14 · answer #1 · answered by milton b 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The only true pure copper U.S. coins were the 1/2 and large cents. The Early U.S. silver and gold coins contained a little more copper in them up to the time the Liberty Seated coinage started. From about 1839 to 1964 the coin were .900 silver to .100 copper. It is about the same with the gold coinage. As someone already wrote silver and gold by themselves are to soft. They now make silver and gold coins that are .999 fine but they are not for circulation but as collectibles or an investment. They would never last if they were used in commerce. So the answer to your question is from 1794 to 1964 unless you count the 1792 1/2 dimes made from George Washington's silver, but not made in the first mint but down the street, you see the mint was not built to 1793. Actually coins up to 2007 have copper in them.
2007-09-16 20:58:20 · answer #2 · answered by Taiping 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you're referring to modern us coins that have the copper stripe around the edge - in other words, "clad" coins, they began in 1965. They are made with a copper core clad with a copper-nickel alloy.
2007-09-19 01:56:48 · answer #3 · answered by CoinTrain 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
forever
2007-09-16 15:01:20 · answer #4 · answered by ACCOUNT CLOSED 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋