Most Lincoln pennies minted before 1982 were made of 95% copper. Each penny weighing in at 3.11 grams yields 2.95 grams of pure copper. It takes approximately 151 pennies (pre 1982) to yield 1 pound of pure copper. With copper prices averaging $3.95/lb. today, most scrap yards will pay about $3.00/lb for scrap copper. You could actually get 100% more money by selling your pre-1982 pennies for scrap metal rather than cashing them in at a bank!