By Bullion Shark LLC ……
The year 1943 found the United States getting more deeply involved in World War II with overseas deployments. At home, there was the completion of the Pentagon building in Virginia, and air raid practices at night, and rationing of food and gasoline. Driven largely by the ramp-up in industrial and military production for the war, the U.S. economy heated up and unemployment dropped to less than 2%.
Cash was plentiful at the time, which led to inflation and lost purchasing power. In this economic environment, the demand for circulating coinage like pennies soared, and the market for rare coins heated up too with investors looking for ways to make the best use of their assets.
1943 Penny
At the same time, materials like copper and tin were critical materials for armaments production and needed to be conserved, especially with supplies from Japan cut-off. Thus, the penny’s composition of 95% copper, 4% zinc, and 1% tin had to be changed. Seven companies received government commissions to experiment with various metals and substances that might be able to substitute. They tried various colors of plastic, fiber, zinc, white metal, and tempered glass.
Eventually, the Mint settled on steel coated with .00025 inches of zinc (to prevent the steel from rusting) and without tin for the new material to make pennies. It was estimated that making cents of this material could save 100,000 pounds of tin per year, and the stock of 40,000 pounds of tin the Mint had on hand at the time was sent to the defense industries.
1943 Steel Penny
The new steel pennies, which came to be called “steelies”, were authorized by a 1942 law, Public Law 815, signed into law on December 18, 1945. Production of 1943 steel pennies began in February of that year, and by the end of the year over a billion of these coins had been made, including 684,628,670 at the Philadelphia Mint; 217,660,000 at the Denver Mint; and 191,550,000 at the San Francisco Mint. In addition, steelies were lighter at 2.7 grams than the prior copper cents at 3.11 grams. This and the fact that steel is magnetic makes it easy to spot a fake steel cent.
A nice Mint State set of the three 1943 steel cents can be had for $30, while an even nicer graded MS65 set runs $75
But soon after the release of steelies into circulation, the coins tarnished and develop spots quickly, making them appear unattractive. Some coin-operated vending machines did not accept the steel coins, and some people confused them for dimes because of their similar color. The Mint considered punching a hole in the center to make it obvious that they weren’t dimes.
The steel cents, which have since acquired legendary status for American collectors because they look so different from any other wheat pennies and are well-known outside of the hobby, were viewed as a failure at the time. This was also related to the fact that the steel material was difficult to work with when producing the coins.
In December 1943 Treasury Secretary D.W. Bell announced that as of January 1, 1944, the steel composition cents would no longer be made, and the coins would return to their prior composition. Although copper and tin were still needed for the war effort, the switch back to mostly copper cents was accomplished when the War Production Board announced that the necessary copper could be obtained from fired brass cartridge cases. These small cartridge cases had been recovered from firing ranges and other training areas.
1943 Steel Penny Value
The majority of examples of 1943 steel pennies are in circulated condition and have developed a lot of spots and tarnish. These are worth less than a dollar, but nice Mint State coins are also available.
In MS60 they are worth $7; $15 in MS63; and $28 in MS65. At the higher-end, MS67 coins command $150 and MS68 examples command $2,250. Of the over 12,000 1943 steel cents graded MS60 or above, only 75 are in MS68.
1942-D coins have similar values as the 1943 (P), but the 1943-S (the lowest mintage of the trio) is worth a bit more. This is mainly for the two highest grades with MS67 worth $240 and MS68 $4,250.
1943 Copper Penny
By far the rarest Lincoln cents are the 20 to 30 struck mistakenly on copper planchets in 1943, including the unique 1943-D that sold in 2010 for $1.7 million and the others being 1943 (P) and 1943-D coins. PCGS has graded seven of what it estimates to be 10-15 of the Philadelphia coins and four of what it estimates to be five of the San Francisco issue. It is believed these coins were created when copper planchets for 1942 cents were accidentally left in hoppers and then struck with 1943 dies.
The record price for a 1943 copper (aka bronze) cent is $329,000 in 2015 for an AU55BN coin. The PCGS price estimate for these coins is $200,000-300,000.
As for the 1943-S, the record is $282,000 in 2016 for an AU58BN. PCGS estimates the price for coins in high circulated grades at $275,000-350,000 but $1 million for an MS62. That is based on the unique coin of that grade from the Bob Simpson collection that sold in 2013.
1943 Wheat Pennies
Many people today pay no attention to the cents they receive in change, including some collectors. But 1943 wheat pennies are a great example of why it pays to look at your coins. A collector named Manuel Houston found a 1943 (P) steel penny in the 1960s when he was a young boy that, unlike his other steel pennies from that year, was not magnetic. Years later he looked into why his coin looked like regular steel cents but was different from them.
He had it graded, but NGC did not perform a metallurgical analysis, which was later done by a company that determined the coin was made of 85.5% tin, 8.5% antimony, 5.5% copper, a small amount of vanadium, and traces of other elements, as Manuel explains in an article in the September 2020 issue of The Numismatist magazine. This coin is believed to be the only one of its kind, and despite being in damaged condition it sold earlier this year at auction for over $5,000.
It is not known whether the coin is an error or perhaps one of the experimental planchets made when the Mint was considering various materials for 1943 pennies. Numismatic researcher Roger Burdette has said it could have gotten mixed in with zinc-coated steel planchets or created some other way.
Who knows what other rare pennies may be out there?
Hi my name is Adam Gjorven and iv got s 1943 steel wheat pennie and I was just wondering what it would be worth, and a silver nickel 1943. Just wondering what there worth. And if got a collection of others dating back to 1909 and up .
My mame is Christian tollinchi i hava a Penny it is an 1943 cent it was old i put it on a liquid to make it cleaner and know it don’t have nothing on it theres a way yo know is real or not
Terrific article. Thanks for taking the time!
About a year ago I was going through some old Lincoln cents that had belonged to my late father. Within this small pile were five or six 1943 steel cents in well cirulated condition that I had desided to polish just fun.
While polishing the first coin I noticed it had started to change color. Upon closer examination with a jeweler’s loop I could see a thin plate of metal was coming off of the coin revealing a copper surface covering the steel cent. After completely cleaning the coin, I picked up another and began to pollish that one as well. But I stopped when it too began to reveal copper beneath the surface.
I brought the polished coin to a jeweler who examined it under a high powered microscope. He confirmed that the coin is copper coated and not plated. A spectrometer analysis of it revealed that the coin is composed of roughly 95 percent steel, and 5 percent copper. The other coin that I had stopped cleaning tested at about the same with trace elements of another metal. Both coins are magnetic and weigh roughly 2.8 grams each.
Although I am aware that Apollo Metal Works had produced several Lincoln Cent Test Planchets of various compositions for the U S. Mint to consider using in 1943, I am unaware of the Mint using any of these copper coated steel planchets to produce the coins that I now have in my possession. These experimental test planchets, incidentally, are discussed in Mint Error News Magazine, issue #39, Winter 2016, published by Mr. Mike Byers.
Like you said, “who knows what other rare pennies may be out there”.
Tim,
Hello, i was looking up how 1943 penny’s planchets where made and i came across your comment. I found a Steelie and thought it was just finger oil build up. Went a wiped it down in 99% rubbing Alcohol…
And it thought..well thats all but something wasn’t right, so i put it under my stereo Microscope. At first thought it was surface rust and noticed it was on top of the plating, i took a 18g surgical needle a poked at it and i small piece fell away a revealed the it was indeed on top other plating. So they layers goes start from the top. Copper, zinc and steel. It been fully struck. Oh and I did go look at the Error magazine that u mentioned as well. Send me a email and i will
Send you my cell. Im in Edmonton, Alberta.
Please email me i found one too
Soy una persona que estoy muy interesado por la historia der centavo ya que guardo centavo de trigo casi toda la colección,muchos de Indiana cabeza pero me preguntó para el 1962 poseo un centavo color nikel pesa 3.7gm deseó saber que inf me podrían brindar acerca de el centavos 1962 y su compocision gracias
What is the 1980 D series copper Dime worth?
I have 1941, 1956D, 1927, 1952, 1943, 1959 1960–1999. I would like to know please the cost of these.
I also have 1913, 1943, 1947 nickels among others in sisties and seventies.
I have a 1943 Copper penny, Philadelphia mint, that has sum damage. What would it be worth?
Do u still have can help with info and more
I have a lot of weed back pennies dated from 19 16 through 1943 I do not know where to take them to see if they worth anything
Wheat , young lady not weed . Lol.
Your local library should have a U.S coin book, u can look up all your coins.Take pen & paper and make a day of it, they also should have a world coin book for other country’s coins value. Also an error coins book. Have fun.
Thank you for your proper use of the English language; spelling and punctuation. It doesn’t appear that many on the web utilize spell check!
I have 1943 penny it looked like it have silver under it I really don’t known
I have alot of the 1943 steel pennies . I’ve never checked to see if any of them wouldn’t stick to a magnet. I have alot of different old coins how do I find out if there worth anything ? I don’t know who to contact about this matter .any one with some good idea’s?
Be careful, make sure someone going to be honest with you this day and time .
U go to a coin store near u just don’t sell to them
I have one that sticks to a magnet. Is that a good thing. I heard only the copper one are worth money.
I recently started coin collecting and I decided to try my look on eBay for a roll of wheat pennies with Indian Head Cent Enders the seller advertise that the pennies have not been gone through and I was satisfied with what I had but there is one penny that either has a mint error or just badly damaged and you can’t hardly make out the date so I cleaned it with a little extra virgin olive oil I’m broke out a flashlight and my magnifying glass and at an angle with the light shining on the date to me it looks like 1943 can someone help me do I really have a 1943 copper penny
you really don’t have a 1943 copper cent.
For how soy. Know? You haven’t. Seen it.
alot of money some say in the hundred of thousands… copper or brownish looking pennies bronze coppery looking is without a doubt worth money. as the 1943 planchets where supposed to be in steel and other metals.
I have two 1943 pennies And two 1943 nickels , one of my pennies sticks to a magnet and the other doesn’t . But they both look exactly the same they both look like a regular copper penny . What is another way besides the magnet test for me to test the coins to find out what metal they are made of?
I’ve got a 1943 wheat penny , it looks totally different from what I’ve seen on here , is there any way of telling me what I have via the internet
I have some 1943 steel pennies with the mercury dime struck on the obverse and reverse sides not full prints but a lot and they are visible. One has Lincoln and lady liberty kissing. Has anyone seen this on the 1943 penny?
Can you post a picture!?
your sitting on some money if u have a copper 1943 penny as the 1943 was minted in steel planchet.
Hi my name is amanda i have some 1943 wheat pennies like these. How would i go about finding out if they are the ones that are worth something or not
I have a 1943 steel penny. It is magnetic. It seems to be copper coated although. The outside is copper color.
Hello my name is Bobby Steele and I’m a new collector of different coins but I have came across a 1943 penny that seems to be a copper 1943. I have tried reading to find out how to tell if it is a fake but it doesn’t even resist with the strongest magnet and it also weight’s wright. My question is how and who do I need to send it to for it to be authenticated and graded. I don’t just want to send to just anyone who could tell me that it’s not real and it indeed be real and I just get scammed and lose out on a once in a life time coin that I have searched my pocket change well any change that I have found on the ground or we’ll anywhere. If someone could please help me I would greatly appreciate all help or tips on where and what to do next to get this coin . I also have a 1943 steel cent that appears to my eye that it has the copper color on pieces of the front and back of it. I was just wondering if this might be a misprint or something. If anyone could help I will send pics of both coins to who ever might need to see them to try and figure out my next move with them both. Thanks for everyone’s time and help with this matter.
I have a 1943 steel penny wheat penny don’t know what to do with it if it’s worth anything or not
Hi I have a 1943 steel penny with no mint mark what is that? My grandfather left me that and a 1902 peace liberty silver dollar
My brother has a lot of these penny’s 1943 in good condition how can we get these checked and where please get back in touch with me
I have a 1999 p penny LOOKS LIKE A MIRROR AND IT STICKS TO A MAGNET GRADE WOULD BE I THINK MS68
I have some 194e wheat pennies to stick to magnets. Where can you take them to find out value? I live in asheville nc.
Sorry 1943 wheat pennies
My friend has a 1943D steel/zinc penny who might be a reputable place he could take it to to have it verified and how does one go about selling it to get the most amount of money for it possible?
I have a 1943s steelie. How much is it worth?
I have a 1943 wheat with no mint mark how much is it worth
My grandfather collected coins over the years. I am wondering how can we get them appraised and have the metal test done? If anyone has leads please let me know.
I have a 1943 d copper penny how much is it worth had a 1943 s
I have a 1943 steel that has damage along the bottom rim it also is a double die obverse and i found in the same bank roll box a 1943 blank planchet it weights 3.2 grams can’t find any information about it?
I have a 1943 D copper Lincoln wheat penny ,how much is this penny worth ?
I have a steel 1943-S and -D ,but I came across a 1943 that seems to have been unseen by anyone.
On this particular 1943 steel under the 4 where the S or D would be there is a dot there.
I’m curious at this point to what value would be put on this coin.
I have a 1943 Google wheat penny it looks like it is made out of copper it has a green stain on the front and some on the back but it doesn’t look like my other 43 zinc pennies without cleaning it up how can I tell what metal is used
Yeah I guess mines might not be worth anything but they look silver though. I’m scared to clean them I was hoping to get information on them
Hi I have a 1943 I believe steel penny can someone please help me find the monetary value. I have read completely different opinions but nothing concrete . Please help.