What is a Coin made of?
What is a Coin made of?
Base-metal alloys chosen for wear and cost — most modern "silver" coins are copper-nickel and most "copper" ones are plated steel or zinc.
The composition of small change is set by the price of metal, and it changes when that price does. The US cent switched from 95% copper to copper-plated zinc in 1982 because the copper in it was approaching a cent in value; British bronze pennies went to copper-plated steel in 1992, which is why a magnet sorts pre- and post-1992 coppers instantly. That change had a side effect: plated steel coins are magnetic and behave differently in vending machines and coin sorters. Some countries have gone further and simply withdrawn the smallest denominations, since the coin cost more to make than it was worth.
Component by component
| Part | Material | Why that material |
|---|---|---|
| clad coins | copper-nickel faces bonded to a pure copper core | It looks like silver, resists corrosion and wear, and costs a fraction of it — the copper edge stripe is the giveaway. |
| low-value coins | copper-plated steel or copper-plated zinc | Once the metal in a coin is worth more than its face value, the coin gets melted; plating a cheap core is the fix. |
| gold-coloured coins | nickel-brass, or Nordic gold (89% copper, 5% aluminium, 5% zinc, 1% tin) | Nordic gold is non-allergenic, antimicrobial, hard to counterfeit and distinctive to the touch as well as the eye. |
| bimetallic coins | a ring of one alloy pressed around a core of another | Two alloys give two electromagnetic signatures, which makes automated validation far harder to spoof. |
| edge | milling, lettering or a plain edge | Milled edges were introduced to stop clipping precious metal off the rim; they survive as a tactile identification feature. |
Other around the house objects
- Banknote Cotton and linen rag paper, or polymer film — never wood pulp, which is why notes survive the wash.
- Lego brick ABS plastic moulded to a tolerance of about ten micrometres — the tightness of the fit is the whole product.
- Soap Fats reacted with lye to make fatty acid salts — and most modern "beauty bars" are not soap at all.
- Toothpaste Mostly abrasive and humectant, with a detergent for foam — the active ingredient is about 0.15% fluoride.
- Sunscreen UV filters — mineral, chemical or both — suspended in an emulsion whose job is to hold them in an even film.
- Credit card Laminated PVC sheets 0.76 mm thick, carrying a silicon chip in epoxy and a copper antenna coil.
- Candle Wax that is really a fuel, and a braided cotton wick that acts as a pump rather than as the thing burning.
- Lipstick Castor oil carrying pigment, set into a stick with waxes — the oil is the workhorse, not the colour.
- Shampoo Three-quarters water, a primary detergent, a milder secondary one, salt to thicken, and silicone to make hair feel smooth.
- Balloon Party balloons are dipped natural rubber latex; foil balloons are metallised plastic film and are not rubber at all.
- Deodorant Deodorant kills the bacteria that cause the smell; antiperspirant uses aluminium salts to plug the sweat duct. Different products.
- Toothbrush Nylon filaments stapled into a polypropylene handle with a wire — three plastics that cannot be separated for recycling.
Common questions
- What is a Coin made of?
- Base-metal alloys chosen for wear and cost — most modern "silver" coins are copper-nickel and most "copper" ones are plated steel or zinc.
- What is the clad coins of a Coin made of?
- Copper-nickel faces bonded to a pure copper core. It looks like silver, resists corrosion and wear, and costs a fraction of it — the copper edge stripe is the giveaway.
- What is the low-value coins of a Coin made of?
- Copper-plated steel or copper-plated zinc. Once the metal in a coin is worth more than its face value, the coin gets melted; plating a cheap core is the fix.
Related pages
- Banknote Cotton and linen rag paper, or polymer film — never wood pulp, which is why notes survive the wash.
- Lego brick ABS plastic moulded to a tolerance of about ten micrometres — the tightness of the fit is the whole product.
- Soap Fats reacted with lye to make fatty acid salts — and most modern "beauty bars" are not soap at all.
- Toothpaste Mostly abrasive and humectant, with a detergent for foam — the active ingredient is about 0.15% fluoride.
- Sunscreen UV filters — mineral, chemical or both — suspended in an emulsion whose job is to hold them in an even film.
- Credit card Laminated PVC sheets 0.76 mm thick, carrying a silicon chip in epoxy and a copper antenna coil.
- Candle Wax that is really a fuel, and a braided cotton wick that acts as a pump rather than as the thing burning.
- Lipstick Castor oil carrying pigment, set into a stick with waxes — the oil is the workhorse, not the colour.
- Pencil Stationery and paper
- Tennis ball Sport and games
- Golf ball Sport and games
- Paper Stationery and paper
- Glass Building materials
- Soccer ball Sport and games
Sources
- Typical range compiled from manufacturer specifications — At One Place