mining the mint

Copper is slumping, down 5% in the last month, due to increased inventories (doubling in three months). The mint stopped distributing pennies on February 3rd, 2013. It's Finance Minister Jim Flaherty's bid to save Canadians more money lol, since a penny was 1.6 cents. Financial institutions will get reimbursed for collecting the metal. (Prediction: banking windfall) 
One Cent Coins to look for: (1) 1953-1979, (2) 1980-1981, and (3) 1982-1996

 

Years	Mass	Diameter/Shape	Composition
2000–2012	2.35 g	19.05 mm, round	94% steel, 1.5% nickel, 4.5% copper plating
1997–1999	2.25 g	19.05 mm, round	98.4% zinc, 1.6% copper plating
1982–1996	2.5 g	19.1 mm, 12-sided	98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1980–1981	2.8 g	19.0 mm, round	98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1978–1979	3.24 g	19.05 mm, round	98% copper, 1.75% tin, 0.25% zinc
1942–1977	3.24 g	19.05 mm, round	98% copper, 0.5% tin, 1.5% zinc
1920–1941	3.24 g	19.05 mm, round	95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc
1876–1920	5.67 g	25.4 mm, round	95.5% copper, 3% tin, 1.5% zinc
1858–1859	4.54 g	25.4 mm, round	95% copper, 4% tin, 1% zinc (bronze)

Penny production ceased on May 4th, 2011. So far, I think I'm down 10-15 cents on penny-rounding at stores.