Why are some magnetic and some not? | The Royal Mint (2024)

FAQs

Why are some magnetic and some not? | The Royal Mint? ›

The copper-plated coins are the same colour, weight, diameter and design as those struck in bronze and circulate alongside them. There is one notable difference. Copper-plated coins are attracted to magnets because of the iron content of the steel core, whereas bronze coins are not magnetic.

Coins are made of different materials, which is why some are magnetic, and others aren't. The most common metal in coins is copper, which is not magnetic. Other metals commonly used in coins, such as aluminum and nickel, are not magnetic. However, some coins do contain magnetic metals such as iron and steel.

Yes they are. In 1943 the government made nearly a billion cents made from zinc plated steel and ALL of these steel cents are magnetic. Depending on mintmark and condition they would have a RETAIL value from around 5 cents to $10 each. MOST of the ones you see will be in the 5 to 15 cent range.

None of the US coins are magnetic (ferromagnetic), except for the 1943 Lincoln penny (Steel Cents, made in steel and zinc to save copper for ammunition during wartime), which are considered magnetic.

This is because the moving magnet sets up an 'electrical field'* that slows its fall. Now try it with a non-magnetic coin (most coins), the magnet, predictably, just 'falls off' the coin.

If a coin that is claimed to have a high gold or silver content is attracted to a magnet, then it is likely a counterfeit that contains more steel or iron than advertised. It's worth remembering that for this reason, some counterfeiters use other non-magnetic metals like copper and lead.

Since 1992, coins have been made with steel, which is magnetic. (Pre-1992 coins are made out of bronze, which will not attract.) The dangling shows us how magnetic force travels through some metals, in this case coins (coins become magnetised when they attach) but gets weaker with each one.

To tell if your 1943 penny is worth a mil, put a magnet over it. If it sticks to the magnet, it is steel, but still worth anywhere between 20 cents and $20. However, if it doesn't stick to the magnet, you might be in for a windfall. Of course, the 1943 copper penny isn't the only coin worth a lot.

The easiest way to determine if a 1943 cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is not copper. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert.

A simple test to identify a 1944 Steel Wheat Penny is checking if it sticks to a magnet; authentic steel cents are magnetic, differentiating them from their copper counterparts. These error coins, especially if in good condition, are exceedingly rare and can be of great value to coin collectors.

Can you pick up a quarter with a magnet? ›

US quarters cannot be picked up by magnets. American coin mechanisms in vending machines and arcade games have magnets to filter out Canadian quarters.

Average value

According to Gainesville Coins, most circulated 1943 steel pennies trade for around 10 to 25 cents each. Uncirculated examples can be worth $1 to $5, with top-level specimens in Mint State-67 or better sometimes fetching hundreds or even thousands of dollars​ (Gainesville Coins)​.

The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet.

Copper-plated coins are attracted to magnets because of the iron content of the steel core, whereas bronze coins are not magnetic. In 1998, 2p coins were struck in both copper-plated steel and bronze.

A Nickel (Canadian coin) - Wikipedia will stick to a magnet. A United States nickel will not, because it is made of a copper-nickel alloy which is mostly copper. A 1943 United States penny will stick to a magnet, because it is made of steel.

Most precious metals—like gold and copper—are nonmagnetic, and silver is no exception. Grab some magnets and see if they are drawn to your object. "Silver is not noticeably magnetic, and exhibits only weak magnetic effects, unlike iron, nickel, cobalt, and the like," says Martin.

The science bit:

Since 1992, 1ps and 2ps have been made out of copper-plated steel instead of the previous alloy of copper, tin and zinc. Steel is magnetic so pennies made after 1992 will be attracted to the magnet when it is close to them. Pennies made before this will not be magnetic.

The first is to rub a magnet along a piece of ferrous metal in the same direction and orientation over and over again. The tiny magnetic fields in the molecules will start to align and make the whole piece of metal magnetic. Stroke a magnet in one direction along your coin.

The easiest way to determine if a 1943 cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is not copper. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert.

Because Nickel (Ni) is ferromagnetic it is used in making Alnico magnets (consisting of aluminium, nickel, and cobalt). Note that the U.S. five cent coin called a “Nickel” is made of 75% copper and 25% Nickel (Ni). Even though it contains Nickel (Ni), a ferromagnetic material, they aren't visibly attracted to magnets.