Question about Coinstar and Canadian steel/zinc pennies.

[pennypicker]

Has anyone here in the U.S. ever tried feeding a Coinstar machine some 1997 to 2010 Canadian pennies? I've accumulated over 1000 of them from buying (supposedly) pre-97 copper lots on ebay and I really don't want to throw them in my dumb bags and cause a possible problem with my bank in the future.

Wikipedia states Canadian pennies from '97 to '99 are 98% zinc and 2000 to present are 94% steel. So I'm wondering will Coinstar accept only the zincs, only the steels, both or none? Thought it easier to ask here first than to go experiment with a few zincs and steels at Wal Mart. Thanks.

I know, we shouldn't put foreign coins in our bank bags or coinstar.

[Cerulean]

The steel Canadian cents are likely to be caught by the magnet inside the machine, and not counted.

Zinc Canadian cents should be accepted as US zinc cents unless the machine's weight sensitivity is very acute.

[pennypicker]

The steel Canadian cents are likely to be caught by the magnet inside the machine, and not counted.

Zinc Canadian cents should be accepted as US zinc cents unless the machine's weight sensitivity is very acute.

Thanks Cerulean for the info. I'll take the zincs to Wal Mart and give them a try.

[dpwozney]

Wikipedia states Canadian pennies from '97 to '99 are 98% zinc and 2000 to present are 94% steel.

Many (about one-half) of the Canadian pennies minted from 2000 to present are not magnetic, so an assumption is that the non-magnetic ones are 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating. 1997-1999 Canadian pennies are 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating.

For example, all the 2010 Canadian pennies that I have tried are not magnetic.

[pennypicker]

Wikipedia states Canadian pennies from '97 to '99 are 98% zinc and 2000 to present are 94% steel.

Many (about one-half) of the Canadian pennies minted from 2000 to present are not magnetic, so an assumption is that the non-magnetic ones are 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating. 1997-1999 Canadian pennies are 98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating.

For example, all the 2010 Canadian pennies that I have tried are not magnetic.

You are correct. Yesterday I took a magnet and found that all the 97's to '99s were not magnetic as expected. I then took the magnet to all the 2000s to present and about half were not magnetic as well. So I fed all the non-magnetic ones into the Coinstar today and it accepted them all!

[VWBEAMER]

Just a note, I have found a King George Canidian penny, I have found a 2 cent euro, a 5 cent euro, 100 of wheats and even a Indian head. I have 2 rolls of steel wheat pennies I found.

But I have yet to find a steel canadian penny...

[henrysmedford]

If you find a 2006 P "P Mint Mark" that is Magnetic it is Rare about $5.00 rare! Also a no mint mark magnetic is on EBAY for $714 US http://cgi.ebay.com/RAREST-2006-Cent-MS-65-No-P-No-Logo-MAGNETIC-/190437474382?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_210&hash=item2c56f5404e In 2006 some have the RCM mint mark some no mint mark some P mint mark some no mint mark some are magnetic some note. see --https://www.jandm.com/script/getitem.asp?CID=3&PID=81

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[pennypicker]

Thanks for the solid info Henry. I'll check my magnetic ones to see if I have a 2006 P.

[VWBEAMER]

I checked my Canadians again, and I lied, I have 2 steel Canadian pennies.

[pennypicker]

I checked my Canadians again, and I lied, I have 2 steel Canadian pennies.

Thou shalt not lie....