Manufacturing of One-Cent Coppler Plated Zinc Planchets

The United States Mint, Manufacturing Procurement, Washington, DC is issuing this sources sought synopsis as a means of conducting market research to identify parties having an interest in and the resources to support this requirement for Copper Plated Zinc (CPZ) (electro-plated over a zinc substrate) metal blanks to be used to produce United States one-cent coins to support Circulating commerce, as well as Un-circulated and Proof numismatic sets. Circulating and Un-circulated CPZ one-cent planchets to be delivered to the Philadelphia and Denver Mints; the Proof CPZ one-cent planchets will be delivered to the San Francisco Mint. A complete solicitation containing the specifications, requirements, and delivery terms will be available to the identified sources.

The raw material acquired must produce coins that can co-exist with coinage presently in circulation within the banking industry and the general public. The current one-cent alloy is composed of 2.5% Copper (Cu) and 97.5% zinc (Zn). Prior to the early 1980's the one-cent coins were composed of 95% copper and 5% zinc and weighed more than 3 grams.