Although millions of people wonder why U.S. pennies are still being minted and used today, the penny has been around since 1793 and not going anywhere soon.
What does a penny weigh?
Two different pennies have been minted since 1982.
The first is the Lincoln penny, which weighs 0.088 ounces (2.5 grams). It is made with 95% copper and 5% zinc.
The other is the Union Shield penny. It weighs 0.109 ounces (3.11 grams). This penny is made of 97.5% zinc and 2.5% copper.
Original pennies from 1793 were made of 100 percent copper and weighed in at 0.475 ounces (13.48 grams).
That was over 5 times as heavy as pennies minted today!
How Much Does A Canadian Penny Weigh?
On Feb 4, 2013, the final Canadian penny was withdrawn from circulation. (Transactions are rounded up to nearest nickel, although pennies minted after 1982 are still considered legal tender at this time.)
Canadian pennies minted from 1982-1996 weighed 2.5 grams.
Pennies minted in 1997-1999 weighed 2.25 grams.
Those minted from 2000-2012 weighed 2.35 grams.
How Much Does A Roll Of Pennies Weigh?
A roll contains 50 pennies. At 0.088 ounces (2.5 grams), 50 pennies weighs approximately 4.4 ounces (125 grams).
For pennies that weigh 0.109 ounces (3.11 grams), the weight of a roll would be 5.45 ounces (155.5 grams).
You would also need to add the weight of the paper roll to these amounts.
~ Fun Fact ~
The penny was the first U.S. coin to include the inscription “In God We Trust”.
Resources
http://cointrackers.com/blog/43/how-much-does-a-penny-weigh/
https://www.mint.ca/store/mint/about-the-mint/1-cent-5300004#.W-mvuOJReM8