How do you identify if a penny is bronze or brass?

Answer 1

You have to know its date and in some cases its mint mark. Depending on the date, however, it's not always possible to tell unless you also weigh the coin on and accurate scale because the composition was changed in the middle of a year. In particular, there were multiple varieties of cents struck in 1864 and again in 1982.

The link below lists all cents by date and mint mark, and the composition(s) of each one.

Answer 2

You can identify if a penny is bronze or brass by looking at the color. Bronze pennies are a darker color with a reddish-brown tint, while brass pennies are lighter in color with a more yellowish hue. You can also use a magnet, as bronze is not magnetic while brass is.