On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 08:33:21 -0700, Charles Spitzer wrote:

"Grant Erwin" wrote in message
...

If you don't think you have any zinc, you're likely wrong. Many
inexpensive
cast metal items are made mostly of zinc. Car door handles, mirror bases,
lamp bases, stuff like that. Try a coarse file on it, if it peels away
like
butter that's the stuff. It's been posted on this NG that lye will bubble
on
zinc (pot metal) but not on aluminum.

pennies are thinly copper plated zinc.

They switched to that in 1982. So, 1983 or newer, yes. 1981 or older,
no. 1982, maybe.