How Heavy Is a Penny?
a Penny weighs exactly
2.5 g (0.005512 lb)
Using a log scale so small objects stay visible — the numbers stay real.
- a gallon of water3.78 kg
1 US gallon (3.785 412 L) of pure water at 4 °C
- an iPhone 160.17 kg
iPhone 16, Apple technical specifications
- a large egg0.05 kg
one USDA large egg, edible portion with the shell removed
- a penny0.0025 kg
current U.S. one-cent coin, copper-plated zinc (2.5% Cu, balance Zn), single coin
- You
Open full comparison → to add more objects on one scale.
Put it in perspective
- About 20× a large egg
- About 68× an iPhone 16
- About 1,500× a gallon of water
Why weights differ
Cents minted since 1982 weigh 2.500 g. Older bronze cents are heavier, and 31 U.S.C. 5112 still prints the older 3.11 g bronze specification, which the Treasury may change under subsection (c). The live U.S. Mint page blocks automated access, so this citation uses the Internet Archive snapshot; the 2025 snapshot of the renamed page shows the same weights.
Sources
[1] U.S. Mint (Internet Archive snapshot)
“Denomination Cent Nickel Dime Quarter Dollar Half Dollar Dollar ... Weight 2.500 g 5.000 g 2.268 g 5.670 g 11.340 g 8.1 g”
Value as published: 2.500 g · accessed 2026-11-11.
Last updated 2026-11-11.Report a correction (please include a source link).
Related objects
- a dime2.268 g (0.005 lb)
- a nickel5 g (0.01102 lb)
- a quarter5.67 g (0.0125 lb)
- a dollar bill1 g (0.0022 lb)
- a 1 euro coin7.5 g (0.01653 lb)
- a dollar coin8.1 g (0.01786 lb)
Frequently asked questions
How much does a penny weigh?
a Penny weighs exactly 2.5 g (0.005512 lb) — current U.S. one-cent coin, copper-plated zinc (2.5% Cu, balance Zn), single coin.
How much is a penny in pounds and ounces?
0.005512 lb, which is 0.08818 oz. In metric terms: 0.0025 kg.
Is a penny heavier than a large egg?
No. a Penny weighs exactly 2.5 g (0.005512 lb), while a large egg is about 50 g (0.11 lb) — roughly 1/20.
Why do sources give different weights?
Cents minted since 1982 weigh 2.500 g. Older bronze cents are heavier, and 31 U.S.C. 5112 still prints the older 3.11 g bronze specification, which the Treasury may change under subsection (c). The live U.S. Mint page blocks automated access, so this citation uses the Internet Archive snapshot; the 2025 snapshot of the renamed page shows the same weights.
Where does this number come from?
Every source is listed at the bottom of this page with publisher, link, access date and a verbatim quote. Numbers are only published when a qualifying source can be verified.