[vmelkon]

http://www.mint.ca/store/mint/learn/1-cent-5300004?cat=1+cent&nId=5300004&nodeGroup=Learn

1 cent canadian coins from 2000 to today are made of 94% steel but coins from 2000 to 2006 are not magnetic. The info is obviously wrong. Even wikipedia is wrong.
If I scratch the coin, inside it is a white metal. Any idea of what it is?

[skyjumper]

I think the Canadian mint knows what's put into there coins.

probably an alloy. its 94% steel, 6% other. the "other" makes it white, if it is even white. you sure your not just using a white instrument to scratch it (with paint rubbing off)?

[vmelkon]

No, there is no paint rubbing off. I use a iron file and a saw. The copper plating is very thin so a single scratch with a iron file exposes the white metal under it. I'm wondering if it is aluminum or zinc. I will try to heat it and see if it melts.

Composition: 94% steel, 1.5% nickel, 4.5% copper plating or copper plated zinc

[skyjumper]

Is the white all the way through? and when you say white do you mean like a silvery metal color or paint white?

It could be the alloy, could you post pictures?

[Yggdrasil]

I think steel alloys containing nickel are not magnetic (http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae546.cfm), so the 1.5% nickel is probably why the coins are not magnetic.

[vmelkon]

It is silvery white like iron and most other metals.

Thanks for that link. I wasn't aware that there are steel alloys that are non-magnetic.

[vmelkon]

The response that I got from the Mint was that the non-magnetic pennies are copper plated zinc but that can't be because I could not melt it while I can easily melt 1 cent US coins which do in fact have zinc.
The only copper plated zinc Canadian 1 cent are from 1997 to 1999 and I can melt these as well.

Yggdrasil must be correct about these being non-mag steel.

Here is the response I got from the Mint.
================================
"June 4, 2010

Dear Vrej,

I acknowledge your email of May 30, 2010 inquiring about the composition of Canadian one-cent coins.

Since 2000, one-cent coins have been composed of 94% steel, 1.5% nickel and 4.5% copper plating or copper
plated zinc. Coins containing zinc are actually not magnetic while those containing copper plating are. In 2009,
the Mint produced 36,575,000 one-cent coins containing copper-plated zinc and 419,105,000 one-cent pieces
containing copper plating.

I hope you find this information helpful. Thank you for your interest in the Royal Canadian Mint.

Sincerely,

Brittany Hinds
Communications Representative"
=============================

Just for your info.

[curiouscat]

Since 2000, one-cent coins have been composed of 94% steel, 1.5% nickel and 4.5% copper plating or copper
plated zinc.

What does "98% steel" even mean? It's not like "steel" is an element. 98% what kind of steel? Mild? Stainless?