By Charles Morgan and Hubert Walker for CoinWeek Notes …..
1943 Copper Pennies (officially known as 1943 Copper Lincoln Cents) have been discovered in various locations, including cafeterias, gumball machines, and in circulation. A Mint Chief Engraver even privately held one, and another is rumored to have been taken by an employee from the Denver Mint.
Despite the slim odds of finding a genuine one, people frequently contact us to ask for help authenticating their 1943 copper pennies. This is a common and understandable request, as these coins resemble any other copper penny, and the discovery of a genuine one could be a life-changing event.
Let’s take a brief look at the 1943 Lincoln Cent and the reasons why those struck in copper are so rare.
Why Did the Penny Change in 1943?
For those unfamiliar with them, 1943 copper pennies are a popular mint error. The United States Mint accidentally struck one-cent coins that year using planchets not intended for production. This error is intriguing because the cents were supposed to be made from a different metal in 1943, but the error coins resemble standard copper pennies struck in any other year.
During World War II, the Mint was ordered to use an alternative metal for coinage, as copper was a strategic material needed for the war effort. The Mint began searching for an alternative to the copper cent as early as 1942, and various experimental coins were considered, including a 1942 glass cent pattern. Some of these experimental coins made their way into the collector market and are valuable in their own right.
Ultimately, a composition of zinc-plated steel was chosen, and all one-cent coins struck in 1943 were supposed to be made from this metal. However, a handful of copper planchets were accidentally used, resulting in this exciting and rare error coin.
Where Were They Made?
The 1943 cent was struck at three United States Mint locations: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The presence or absence of a mintmark indicates the mint of origin. On the 1943 copper penny, these mintmarks are easy to find. Coins struck at the Philadelphia Mint have no mintmark under the date, while those from the Denver and San Francisco mints will be identifiable by the presence of a small “D” or “S,” respectively, also located under the date.
The Mint intended for all 1943 cents to be made of a zinc-plated steel composition. When new, these coins had a silvery-white. Over time and with normal use, this color changes to a dull slate grey or charcoal.
The total mintage for the issue is as follows:
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- Philadelphia Mint: 684,628,670 (10 to 15 copper examples are known)
- Denver Mint: 217,660,000 (only one copper example is known)
- San Francisco Mint: 191,550,000 (only five copper examples are known).
How Do I Know if My 1943 Copper Penny Is Genuine?
Attempts to counterfeit 1943 copper pennies began shortly after the release of the 1943 steel cent, as rumors about these off-metal mint errors captured the public’s imagination. One rumor claimed that the Ford Motor Company was offering a new car in exchange for one. In reality, Ford never made such an offer, but had they done so, the deal would have ultimately been more beneficial to them than to the person who received the new car.
However, genuine examples did eventually start to appear. The first San Francisco Mint example was discovered in 1944 by collector Kenneth S. Wing, Jr. of Long Beach, California. At the time, Wing was offered $500 for the coin but declined the offer.
For years, Wing tried to get the coin authenticated. He wrote to Acting Director of the Mint Leland Howard, who responded on August 20, 1946, stating, “in reference to your letter of August 11th, there were no copper cents struck during the calendar year 1943 at any of the coinage Mints. Only the zinc-coated steel cent was struck during that year.” Wing then showed the coin to the superintendent of the San Francisco Mint in 1948, who told him that it was authentic. In 1957, Wing tried to have the Treasury Department authenticate the coin, and they referred him to the Smithsonian Institution. Vladimir Clain-Steanelli was convinced that the coin was authentic.
In 1947, Don Lutes discovered the first one from the Philadelphia Mint. He acquired his in change from his high school cafeteria in Pittsfield, Massachusetts.
Over time, other examples were discovered. The stories of how and by whom are often chronicled in auction lot descriptions. While the public was widely aware of these rare copper pennies, genuine examples were not readily available for purchase.
To capitalize on this situation, counterfeiters began their work.
Since the 1950s, various manipulations have been used to make common copper pennies from the 1940s appear to be genuine 1943 off-metal errors. As some of these altered coins can be deceptive to a non-expert, third-party authentication is essential.
To authenticate this or any coin, CoinWeek recommends one of three companies: CAC Grading in Virginia Beach, Virginia; NGC in Sarasota, Florida; and PCGS in Santa Ana, California. For a fee, these services will authenticate your coin and, if genuine, place it in a secure, market-accepted coin holder. This process is a requirement before any coin dealer will purchase the coin or before any major auction service will agree to sell it.
To save yourself time, money, and disappointment, a 1943 copper penny must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered genuine:
- 1943 copper pennies are nonmagnetic
- 1943 copper pennies weigh 3.11 grams
- the 3 of the date of 1943 copper penny will be identical to the 3 on a steel cent
- the strike quality of all genuine 1943 copper pennies is sharp, with clear designer’s initials and raised rims. These details can be muted on worn coins, however.
How Does the 1943 Copper Penny Rank in Terms of the Most Valuable U.S. Coins?
While quite rare, the 1943 is not the most valuable United States coin. That honor goes to the nearly impossible-to-own 1933 Saint Gaudens $20 gold double eagle, which last sold for $18.9 million in 2021. For a Lincoln cent, however, the 1943 copper penny is extremely valuable, with circulated examples selling at auction in the past two years bringing between $240,000 and $336,000.
The unique 1943-D copper penny is held in a longterm collection and carries an estimated value of over one million dollars.
The 1943-S cents are rarer than the Philadelphia strikes, and are worth between $300,000 and a million dollars based on their condition.
Of all of the known 1943 copper pennies, only own survives in Mint State with full original red color. This Choice Uncirculated coin has weak lettering at the top of IN GOD WE TRUST, the first two letters of LIBERTY, and weakness on the reverse in the motto and the O in ONE and AME of AMERICA. Although this example is heavily spotted, it is miraculous that such a rarity survived in close to its original presentation. We estimate it to be worth in excess of one million dollars, as well.
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Market Data and Noteworthy Specimens
Top Population: PCGS MS63RD (1, 8/2025), NGC MS63BN (1, 8/2025), and CAC MS62BN (2:0 stickered:graded, 8/2025).
- PCGS MS3RD: Stack’s Bowers, January 22, 2013, Lot 13258 – $164,500. Spotted. Struck on 91.7% copper, 7.5% zinc, 08% silver alloy.
- PCGS MS62BN CAC #41955782: Albert Michael Pratt. As NGC MS62BN #2067200-002. Heritage Auctions, August 2017, Lot 3899; Heritage Auctions, April 24, 2021, Lot 5001 – $348,000. Tick over 4 on date.
- PCGS MS62BN CAC #40273606: Marvin Beyer, Jr., discovered in circulation in 1957; Beyer to Greer Company of Los Angeles, 1959 – $40,000. As ANACS MS61 #50035361. Superior, October 2000, Lot 4146 – $60,375. As PCGS MS61BN. “The Benson Collection,” Goldberg Coins, February 2003, Lot 148 – $97,750. As PCGS MS62BN CAC #40273606. “The Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IV,” Heritage Auctions, February 23, 2021, Lot 3008 – $372,000. Blue green toning.
- PCGS MS61RB #50040291: PCGS user “James Schirrippa”.
- PCGS AU58 #25510132: Heritage Auctions, January 2016, Lot 5266 – $305,500.
- PCGS AU55: Stack’s Bowers, January 22, 2013, Lot 13257 – $317,250.
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Design
Obverse:
Litvak-American artist Victor David Brenner’s portrait of Abraham Lincoln depicts the president from the shoulder up. Lincoln is dressed in a period suit and is wearing a bow tie. Brenner’s initials V.D.B. appear in Lincoln’s shoulder truncation. At the top of the design wrapping around the rim is the motto IN GOD WE TRUST. The word LIBERTY appears behind Lincoln’s neck, on the left side of the coin. The date 1943 appears slightly lower, in front of Lincoln’s portrait, on the coin’s right side.
Reverse:
Brenner’s “Wheat Cent” reverse. Two sheaths of wheat wrap around the right and the left side of the coin. At the top of the design, the motto E · PLURIBUS · UNUM wraps around the rim. The denomination ONE CENT is inscribed in large sans serif letters, with the bottom arm of each “E” extending beyond the arm at the top (the middle arm is recessed). Beneath the denomination, in the same font but a smaller type, is the legend UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.
Edge:
The edge of the 1943 Lincoln Copper Cent is plain, without reeding or edge lettering.
Designer
Victor David Brenner, born in Lithuania in 1871, immigrated to New York at the age of 19. The classically trained sculptor built a group of clients, which included the future president Theodore Roosevelt. Having previously created a medallion of Lincoln, Brenner was contracted by Roosevelt in 1908 to use one of his previous images of the 16th president for a new design of the cent. At the time of his death, Brenner had carved over 125 different medals, sculptures, and coins (View Designer’s Profile).
Coin Specifications
| Country: | United States of America |
| Year of Issue: | 1943 |
| Denomination: | One Cent (USD) |
| Mintmark: | None (Philadelphia) |
| Mintage: | 17 known |
| Alloy: | .950 copper, .050 tin and zinc |
| Weight: | 3.11 g |
| Diameter: | 19.00 mm |
| Edge: | Plain |
| OBV Designer: | Victor David Brenner |
| REV Designer: | Victor David Brenner |
| Quality: | Business Strike |
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Are 1943 steel and the 1944 copper worth anything although they both share the fact of opposite metals in those years.
@Gary Capehart Zinc-plated steel and copper (actually bronze) are the standard metals for 1943 and 1944 cents respectively. If you check a source that lists mintages, both years saw the production of what were large numbers for the time. As a result standard cents from those years aren’t rare.
That said, !944 cents are generally less valuable because they represented a return to normal expectations of weight and color. On the other hand circulated “steelies” do bring a modest premium (typically 25¢ to $1); they stand out for their unique composition, and for people familiar with their history they aree mementos of a time when even the lowly penny had to sacrifice for the war effort.
I have acquired a 1943 d copper penny that a magnet picks up, is it worth getting checked out or should I put it back in my collection and wait another 20 years
@Michael Copper is not attracted to a magnet. You almost certainly have a standard 1943 steel cent that’s been altered – probably by plating – to create a fake. As such it’s not going to be valuable except as a conversation piece no matter how long it’s kept.
I have a 1943 no mint mark copper wheat penny that does not stick to a magnet and the 3 has a long tail that protrudes down past the 4 but it weighs 3.14. Should I get it checked out by a grading company?
Is the 1943 Lincoln one cent Philadelphia ment steel peny worth anything?
@Wendy Smith In 1943 the Philadelphia mint struck almost 685 _million_ steel cents. Even today they’re fairly common and are worth maybe 25¢ to $1 in circulated condition. Most dealers will have all they need or want.
P.S. I think you mean “mint” rather than “ment” and “penny” instead of “peny”.
Are articles like this supported by the grading businesses? You don’t need to pay someone to find out what common sense will tell you. If it sticks to a magnet, like so many of the fake copper ones do, then it is copper plated. These were actually sold as “trick” coins in magic shops when I was a kid. Nowadays the Chinese make these to sell to people willing to sucker others not willing to check for themselves into buying one. The second step is to weigh the coin to see if it is within mint tolerances for a copper or the 1943 steel penny. Anyone who can use a search engine can find the specs. A third thing to do is load up pictures online of verified 1943 pennies such as from PCGS Coinfacts, zoom in on the pics and do a side by side comparison looking for things like different looking fonts (small details – pointed ends or not, missing serifs, placement of numbers/letters compared to the real coin). Very, very few fakes will pass these tests. The show stopper ususally is to learn how (and it’s simple) to do a transparent overlay of the real coin image onto the suspect one. And if you want to go even further, learn how to do a simple specific gravity test at home. That is, if you have water, string, and a cheap scale.
If it’s not worth your time then pay a company to do it. But these companies have no special magic. The above is what they do initially and are all within the reach of any collector.
Thank you for the comment. Collectors approach this subject matter with all levels of ability. The goal is to give good information that is relevant to all facets of the coin. Not every copper 1943 Lincoln cent was discovered by a seasoned or experienced numismatist. The approaches that you outline will work for many people, but it is still possible to get it wrong. Even veteran collectors and dealers would expect third party authentication before they buy a rare coin.
@Charles Morgan AMEN to that!!
Anyone capable of slicing a penny in half like that should charge much more than $10. It’s incredible difficult to do this and requires machine tools that are very much out of the ordinary.
Anyone actually looking for this in circulation might as well just guess the next power ball number.
I’m a out to see if I’m a winner or a loser!! Thank you for the pointers!! Hopefully I’m a winner! To be continued!!
I found a 1943 copper penny last week. Wounder what the odds are on that. Taking it to get grated and Option it off.
I don’t understand phones BUT IVE GOT A 1943 PENNY AND IT HAS TWO FACES OF ORESIDENT LINCOLN A MISPRINT
(LIKE DOUBLE STAMPED)
ALSO..
A 1943 PENNY WITH
THE NUMBER FOUR MISSING
Easily SEEN!
Both pennies …
ARE IN INCREDIBLY PERFECT SHAPE I BELEIVE .
NO SCUFFS, SCRATCHES, JUST Perfect.
HAS ANYBODY EVER SEEN A DOUBLE FACED STAMPED Lincoln ON A Penny YEAR IS 1943?? I can’t find one penny that looks same as the penny I’ve got
Where the pictures??
@Amber Talley 99.999% of all “double faced” (or double-tailed) coins are what are called magician’s coins. They’re NOT errors and can be bought in novelty shops for less than $10.
Magicians’ coins are made by slicing two standard coins like Oreo cookies, then swapping and joining the matching sides. The work is often done using precision machinery that makes it difficult to see the join marks.
OTOH if both images of Lincoln are on the _same_ side of the coin, it could be an actual error but that can only be determined via expert, in-person examination.
@Jamie Did you perform either of the simple tests suggested in the article?
> If the coin sticks to a magnet it’s NOT copper. In that case you have a standard steel cent that’s been plated.
> If the bottom of the “3” in the date points horizontally, you have an altered 1948 cent.
> If it weighs 2.7 gm, again it’s an altered steel cent. Bronze cents should weigh 3.11 gm.
If you coin passes all of those tests, then it should be examined in person by an expert.
I have 1943 really worn copper wheat back penny really faded microscope or good I phone see 43 making it a 1943 copper penny rare I know it is I see 943 look I wish I could send text few pictures of it I found it my grandfather was killed in Okinawa Japan on 12/18/1944 army infantry Joseph Jerald corierra jr bristol county newbedford ma I picked up a 1944 penny same day Walmart parking lot so my grandfather angel over me gifted me to find 1943 copper penny really worn faded though look I send pic in text message
I have one also copper
Holy grail 43 copper penny
I have one beautiful 194?3?4? Rim raised letters in TRUST are weak 1st 2 letters in liberty real weak . Goldish looking material?? Like copper/brass . Looks like tiger stripes but goldish brown stripes. I’ve looked at it for over 8 years now I swear it’s a 3 . What I mean by that I’d tht the last # on 194? Is missing . Thts OBVERSE..REVERSE the O in one is weak the AME in AMERICA are very weak . And its shiny and beautiful. For a wheat cent tht I have read lots about . But cant tell what the last# on date is ???? To scared to send it to get graded . Cz honestly I think I already got cheated once . Also had a 1804 silver $ which used to melt ICE real quick. Till I took it to get looked at . After tht coun would not melt ice anymore. Then it changed color lol after she gave it bk to me .
There was gold copies of the 1943 penny that was minted!!!
Owner of I have stumbled upon a 1943 d copper penny is not magnetic and it’s 3.11 g what is my next step to getting this appraised, where do I go?
This is because the US Mint says: that there are only about 40 known to have been made. Of those 40, most are on display in places like the Smithson. As of 2009, when I stopped dealing in coins, both buying and selling, only six were known to be in private collections with one to three that were accountable for at the time.
If you live close to Washington D.C., your best is to take it to either the Smithson or the Jefferson and have one of their experts to appraise it for you, but my advice is do not let the coin out of your sight, PERIOD!!!
@Gary Gilbreath I believe you mean the “Smithsonian”, but they normally don’t evaluate coins. A high-quality numismatic organization such as ANA, PCGS, etc. might be a better choice.
Also, at the risk of assuming, there isn’t a “Jefferson” or “Jeffersonian” institute in DC. The name was created for use in a TV show after which it slipped into popular culture as if it was a genuine scientific organization.
How can i find an expert in my area? I am in Southern CA and I’d appreciate any recommendations.
I have a 1943 no mint mark copper wheat penny that does not stick to a magnet and the 3 has a long tail that protrudes down past the 4 but it weighs 3.14. Should I get it checked out by a grading company?
I have a 1943 zinc coated penny that is magnetic and weights 3.0 g . All my other steel pennies way between 2.63 g to 2.78 g. is there any record of a bronze? Cent
Did you find out if it’s worth anything? I have multiple 1943 pennies weighing the standard weight, but I also have a1943 penny that is magnetic and weighs 3.0 g.