163:
111:
572:
968:
process,) there were an abundance of Mint State steel pennies around that were high grade
Uncirculated, but that looked like crap. These enterprising coin dealers "restored" them by plating them in chrome and other similar-looking substances, making them look all shiny and new again, and then sold them in sets of one from each Mint. // Unfortunately, coins that have been plated in anything (even gold) outside the mint have no value to serious coin collectors, so these chrome-plated 1943 cents are considered to be "junk" on the coin market.
586:
504:
417:
558:
365:
1032:
they are in mint state . Most reprocessed 1943 Lincoln cents you see for sale on eBay or elsewhere have been coated in chrome, so they look like a brand new chrome bumper. ... If you want to purchase a high-grade, mint state 1943 steel
Lincoln cent, I highly recommend buying only coins graded by an eBay-approved professional third-party grading service, such as PCGS, NGC, or ANACS.
1031:
The old saying, "If it looks too good to be true, it probably is," applies in particular to reprocessed 1943 steel
Lincoln Cents . The term, reprocessed, refers to 1943 steel pennies that have been 'shined up', i.e., recoated with zinc or chrome , cleaned, and/or polished, such that they appear as if
519:
pieces by the
Philadelphia mint after that country's liberation from the Nazis. These coins were of the same composition and the same planchets as the 1943 cents, but they differed slightly in weight. In all, 1944 steel cents are fewer in number than their 1943 copper counterparts, and are even more
381:
were left in the press hopper and press machines during the changeover from copper to steel blanks. Examples were discovered after the War, with the first two in 1947, and another in 1958. That example appeared in a 1958 Abe Kosoff sale, but was withdrawn prior to the sale; one mint condition Denver
346:
process did not cover the edges of the coins, sweat would quickly rust the metal. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process whereby salvaged brass shell casings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy close to the 1941–42 composition. This was used for 1944–46-dated cents, after
532:
Although United States penny is widely known to hold a higher mintage cost than its face value, the United States actually made a large profit on minting steel coins. In 1943, the cost of a gross ton of steel was $ 34. With a composition of 2.67498 grams of steel making up 99% of the coin, the 1943
997:
There are also "reprocessed" steel
Pennies, which are essentially 1943 steel Pennies that had become corroded (due to the rust-prone nature of their steel core) and later stripped of their original zinc coating, and recoated with a fresh layer of zinc. These are numismatically worthless since they
511:
In an error similar to the 1943 cents, a few 1944 cents were struck on steel planchets left over from 1943. There are two explanations given for why this happened. One explanation is that steel planchets were left in the press hopper and press machines from the previous year mixed in with copper
350:
The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet. The steel cent was also the only coin issued by the United States for circulation that does not contain any copper. (Even U.S. gold coins at various times contained from slightly over 2% copper to an
967:
The source of the chrome 1943 cents is that one or more major coin dealers decided to profit from this entire situation sometime in early 1960s. Because even many of the Mint State 1943 pennies had by then lost their shiny zinc finish (due to the exposure of the edges, which began the corrosion
541:
Since many steel cents corroded and became dull soon after entering circulation, some dealers who sold the coins as novelties improved their appearance by "reprocessing" – stripping off the old zinc coating and then replating them with zinc or chrome. These reprocessed coins are sometimes
932:
At the same time many more thousands of 1943 steel cents were stripped of their zinc plating and replated. These are known as "reprocessed coins," and since they, too, are alterations, they have little or no collector
390:
Many people have counterfeited the coin by either copper-plating normal 1943 cents (sometimes as novelties with no intent to defraud), or altering cents from the period, usually 1945, 1948, or 1949-dated coins.
376:
in rarity, the 1943 copper cent is one of the notable rarities of the
Lincoln cent series. An estimated 40 examples are believed to have been struck, with 13 confirmed to exist. The error occurred when copper
838:
404:
The numeral 3 in 1943 has the same long tail as the steel cents. Alterations from later-dated copper cents will be noticeable when compared side by side with genuine cents with years ending in 3.
299:
researched various ways to limit dependence and meet conservation goals on copper usage. After trying out several substitutes (ranging from other metals to plastics) to replace the then-standard
407:
The quality of the strike is exceptionally sharp, especially around the rim, because the soft copper planchets were struck with the same (higher) pressure used for the steel cents.
1338:
1333:
1328:
1323:
1318:
1313:
1308:
1303:
1298:
1293:
1288:
1283:
1278:
347:
which the prewar composition was resumed. Although they continued to circulate into the 1960s, the mint collected large numbers of the 1943 cents and destroyed them.
846:
1010:
491:
The coin was found in a badly damaged state, with two large gashes and a slight bend. Believing it to be a steel cent, the discoverer straightened the coin in a
484:
and realized it was not attracted to a magnet while searching his coin collection for 1943 copper cents in 2019. It is likely that the coin is an error or was
998:
are altered coins. Nevertheless, they are a cost-effective alternative to buying uncirculated 1943 Pennies and are popular in the non-numismatic market.
1487:
1062:
1209:
1122:
1477:
1439:
524:; this was the highest auction price ever for a Lincoln cent until September 23, 2010, when it was superseded by a 1943-D bronze penny.
1392:
488:
using an obverse die intended for the following year, though no documented evidence of a pattern with this composition has been found.
1482:
1079:
653:
1348:
1222:
668:
946:
604:
1445:
398:
Genuine 1943 copper cents will not be attracted to a magnet. Copper-plated steel cents will exhibit a strong magnetic attraction.
1472:
1398:
1169:
477:
with other trace metals. The coin was discovered by a coin collector in the state of Oregon, who found it in his father's yard
755:
1427:
1055:
695:
1380:
1018:
780:
607:, 1942–1945 Jefferson nickels produced with 35% silver instead of nickel, due to nickel requirements by the U.S. military
723:
599:
1467:
1270:
1071:
1107:
1048:
868:
1245:
810:
466:
1149:
1130:
820:
242:
1433:
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eventual standard 10% copper to increase resistance to wear by making the pure gold coins slightly harder).
1102:
911:
1250:
1112:
1092:
162:
110:
520:
valuable; one such example minted in San
Francisco sold for $ 373,750 in an August 2008 auction held by
1260:
1194:
1087:
311:. This alloy caused the new coins to be magnetic and 13% lighter. They were struck at all three mints:
207:
1097:
331:
1386:
1415:
1374:
1368:
839:"World War 2 Penny Errors Star at ANA Convention, Part 2: $ 374k Record Price for a Lincoln Cent"
485:
278:
330:
However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for
1421:
1356:
373:
591:
262:
136:
36:
323:. As with the bronze cents, coins from the latter two sites have respectively "D" and "S"
8:
1362:
665:
1184:
954:
577:
320:
296:
226:
223:
1240:
1159:
1154:
816:
521:
312:
215:
759:
516:
699:
1217:
672:
610:
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planchets. Another explanation credits the error to the production of 25 million
335:
126:
1040:
981:
1461:
1179:
343:
204:
1199:
563:
292:
266:
234:
230:
503:
1174:
339:
316:
219:
416:
1255:
1189:
1144:
401:
Copper cents weigh 3.11 grams. Steel cents weigh 2.702 grams.
288:
1164:
394:
The copper cents differ from their steel counterparts in four ways:
886:
641:
629:
495:
so that it would fit inside a coin album. The coin weighs 2.702 g.
474:
454:
378:
364:
324:
806:
919:
513:
647:
546:, or similar terms, by ignorant or unscrupulous online sellers.
300:
284:
533:
steel penny only cost roughly one-ten-thousandth of a dollar.
308:
211:
492:
304:
238:
869:"PCGS-Certified 1943-D Bronze Cent Sold For $ 1.7 Million"
781:"NGC authenticates 1943 Lincoln cent made from mostly tin"
470:
342:
also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the
553:
830:
382:Mint specimen sold for over $ 1.7 million in 2010.
245:composition) has led to various nicknames, such as
469:authenticated a worn 1943 cent composed of 86.41%
338:(which took copper cents) placed to pick up steel
947:"How Much is the 1943 Chrome-Plated Penny Worth?"
1459:
1070:
666:Which U.S. Coin Has Absolutely No Copper in it?
635:
623:
979:
696:"See our fabulous (and Rare) 1944 Steel Cent!"
486:intentionally struck as a pattern in late 1942
1056:
807:Krause, Chester L.; Clifford Mishler (2005).
693:
659:
1393:America the Beautiful silver bullion coins
1063:
1049:
698:. Wayne Herndon Rare Coins. Archived from
1488:Abraham Lincoln on United States currency
836:
749:
747:
745:
743:
741:
739:
737:
502:
415:
363:
261:. The 1943 steel cent features the same
214:due to wartime shortages of copper. The
303:alloy, the one-cent coin was minted in
1460:
1399:American Liberty high relief gold coin
1011:"Reprocessed 1943 Steel Lincoln Cents"
887:"The History of American Metal Market"
815:(33rd ed.). Krause Publications.
802:
800:
753:
689:
687:
685:
683:
681:
644:USPatterns.com Accessed July 28, 2006.
632:USPatterns.com Accessed July 28, 2006.
233:. The unique composition of the coin (
1044:
734:
718:
716:
354:
861:
600:2 francs (World War II Belgian coin)
291:and other military equipment during
1478:One-cent coins of the United States
909:
797:
758:. Money Meanderings. Archived from
724:"Rare penny sold for $ 1.7 million"
678:
359:
78:99% steel with a thin layer of zinc
13:
944:
912:"Learn the Facts about 1943 Cents"
837:Reynolds, Greg (August 22, 2008).
713:
654:The History of the 1943 Steel Cent
527:
498:
269:which had been in use since 1909.
243:previously 95%-copper-based bronze
14:
1499:
1483:Cultural history of World War II
584:
570:
556:
536:
411:
161:
109:
1003:
973:
938:
903:
879:
811:Standard Catalog of World Coins
385:
773:
1:
1473:Currencies introduced in 1943
754:Metras, Mike (January 1999).
616:
478:
1072:Coinage of the United States
982:"1943 Lincoln Wheat Pennies"
980:McMorrow-Hernandez, Joshua.
916:RR Rare Coins & Currency
694:Herndon, Wayne (1998–2002).
7:
549:
10:
1504:
425:1943 tin cent composition
276:
272:
1468:1943 in the United States
1408:
1347:
1269:
1208:
1121:
1078:
675:Susan Headley, About.com.
656:Accessed 13 January 2009.
542:erroneously described as
190:
182:
174:
155:
150:
142:
132:
122:
103:
98:
90:
82:
74:
66:
58:
50:
42:
31:
24:
283:Due to wartime needs of
279:1942 experimental cents
1017:. eBay. Archived from
544:brilliant uncirculated
508:
421:
369:
178:Wheat Heads in memoria
875:. September 23, 2010.
730:. September 23, 2010.
506:
419:
374:1955 doubled die cent
367:
277:Further information:
1442:(1976, 1992–present)
849:on February 26, 2011
592:United States portal
263:Victor David Brenner
229:each produced these
210:that were struck in
1381:First Spouse (gold)
426:
21:
1015:eBay Buying Guides
957:on 18 October 2016
671:2012-07-07 at the
578:Numismatics portal
509:
424:
422:
370:
355:Related variations
297:United States Mint
231:1943 Lincoln cents
19:
1455:
1454:
1383:(2007–2016; 2020)
1021:on March 26, 2018
756:"1943 Steel Cent"
522:Heritage Auctions
463:
462:
372:Far ahead of the
241:, instead of the
198:
197:
186:Victor D. Brenner
137:Victor D. Brenner
1495:
1440:Silver Proof Set
1428:Special Mint Set
1235:
1234:
1230:
1227:
1139:
1138:
1134:
1065:
1058:
1051:
1042:
1041:
1035:
1034:
1028:
1026:
1007:
1001:
1000:
994:
992:
977:
971:
970:
964:
962:
953:. Archived from
942:
936:
935:
929:
927:
918:. Archived from
907:
901:
900:
898:
897:
883:
877:
876:
865:
859:
858:
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854:
845:. Archived from
834:
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566:
561:
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427:
423:
368:1943 copper cent
360:1943 copper cent
336:vending machines
327:below the date.
201:1943 steel cents
165:
113:
83:Years of minting
22:
18:
1503:
1502:
1498:
1497:
1496:
1494:
1493:
1492:
1458:
1457:
1456:
1451:
1404:
1387:Palladium Eagle
1343:
1265:
1232:
1228:
1225:
1223:
1204:
1145:1¢ (large size)
1136:
1132:
1131:
1117:
1074:
1069:
1039:
1038:
1024:
1022:
1009:
1008:
1004:
990:
988:
978:
974:
960:
958:
945:Headly, Susan.
943:
939:
925:
923:
910:Herbert, Alan.
908:
904:
895:
893:
885:
884:
880:
867:
866:
862:
852:
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835:
831:
823:
805:
798:
789:
787:
779:
778:
774:
765:
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735:
722:
721:
714:
705:
703:
692:
679:
673:Wayback Machine
664:
660:
652:
648:
640:
636:
628:
624:
619:
611:Sales tax token
590:
585:
583:
576:
571:
569:
562:
557:
555:
552:
539:
530:
528:Cost of mintage
507:1944 steel cent
501:
499:1944 steel cent
481:
414:
388:
362:
357:
281:
275:
265:design for the
251:steel war penny
235:low-grade steel
170:
169:
168:
167:
166:
127:Abraham Lincoln
118:
117:
116:
115:
114:
27:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1501:
1491:
1490:
1485:
1480:
1475:
1470:
1453:
1452:
1450:
1449:
1443:
1437:
1431:
1425:
1424:(1947–present)
1419:
1418:(1936–present)
1412:
1410:
1406:
1405:
1403:
1402:
1401:(2015–present)
1396:
1390:
1389:(2017–present)
1384:
1378:
1377:(2006–present)
1372:
1371:(1997–present)
1369:Platinum Eagle
1366:
1365:(1986–present)
1360:
1359:(1986–present)
1353:
1351:
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1045:
1037:
1036:
1002:
986:CoinValues.com
972:
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829:
821:
813:: 1901–Present
796:
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733:
712:
677:
658:
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608:
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413:
410:
409:
408:
405:
402:
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387:
384:
361:
358:
356:
353:
274:
271:
208:one-cent coins
196:
195:
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188:
187:
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158:
157:
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124:
120:
119:
108:
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105:
104:
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100:
96:
95:
92:
91:Catalog number
88:
87:
84:
80:
79:
76:
72:
71:
68:
64:
63:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
33:
29:
28:
25:
15:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1500:
1489:
1486:
1484:
1481:
1479:
1476:
1474:
1471:
1469:
1466:
1465:
1463:
1447:
1444:
1441:
1438:
1435:
1432:
1429:
1426:
1423:
1420:
1417:
1414:
1413:
1411:
1407:
1400:
1397:
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1379:
1376:
1373:
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1367:
1364:
1361:
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1327:
1325:
1322:
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1310:
1307:
1305:
1302:
1300:
1297:
1295:
1292:
1290:
1287:
1285:
1282:
1280:
1277:
1276:
1274:
1272:
1271:Commemorative
1268:
1262:
1259:
1257:
1254:
1252:
1249:
1247:
1244:
1242:
1239:
1237:
1221:
1219:
1216:
1215:
1213:
1211:
1207:
1201:
1198:
1196:
1193:
1191:
1188:
1186:
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1178:
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1173:
1171:
1168:
1166:
1163:
1161:
1158:
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1153:
1151:
1148:
1146:
1143:
1141:
1129:
1128:
1126:
1124:
1120:
1114:
1111:
1109:
1106:
1104:
1101:
1099:
1096:
1094:
1091:
1089:
1086:
1085:
1083:
1081:
1077:
1073:
1066:
1061:
1059:
1054:
1052:
1047:
1046:
1043:
1033:
1020:
1016:
1012:
1006:
999:
987:
983:
976:
969:
956:
952:
948:
941:
934:
922:on 7 May 2016
921:
917:
913:
906:
892:
888:
882:
874:
870:
864:
848:
844:
840:
833:
824:
818:
814:
812:
803:
801:
786:
782:
776:
762:on 2012-02-19
761:
757:
750:
748:
746:
744:
742:
740:
738:
729:
725:
719:
717:
702:on 2002-10-10
701:
697:
690:
688:
686:
684:
682:
674:
670:
667:
662:
655:
650:
643:
638:
631:
626:
622:
612:
609:
606:
605:'War Nickels'
603:
601:
598:
597:
593:
582:
579:
568:
565:
554:
547:
545:
537:Novelty coins
534:
525:
523:
518:
515:
505:
496:
494:
489:
487:
476:
472:
468:
458:
456:
453:
452:
448:
445:
444:
440:
437:
436:
432:
429:
428:
420:1943 tin cent
418:
412:1943 tin cent
406:
403:
400:
397:
396:
395:
392:
383:
380:
375:
366:
352:
348:
345:
344:galvanization
341:
337:
334:. Magnets in
333:
328:
326:
322:
321:San Francisco
318:
314:
310:
306:
302:
298:
294:
290:
286:
280:
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256:
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224:San Francisco
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112:
102:
97:
93:
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81:
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69:
65:
61:
57:
54:19.05 mm
53:
49:
45:
41:
38:
34:
30:
26:United States
23:
16:U.S. currency
1446:Prestige Set
1434:Souvenir Set
1409:Special sets
1375:Gold Buffalo
1357:Silver Eagle
1030:
1023:. Retrieved
1019:the original
1014:
1005:
996:
989:. Retrieved
985:
975:
966:
959:. Retrieved
955:the original
950:
940:
931:
924:. Retrieved
920:the original
915:
905:
894:. Retrieved
890:
881:
872:
863:
851:. Retrieved
847:the original
842:
832:
808:
788:. Retrieved
784:
775:
764:. Retrieved
760:the original
727:
704:. Retrieved
700:the original
661:
649:
637:
625:
564:Money portal
543:
540:
531:
510:
490:
464:
393:
389:
386:Counterfeits
371:
349:
329:
313:Philadelphia
293:World War II
282:
267:Lincoln cent
258:
254:
250:
247:wartime cent
246:
237:coated with
216:Philadelphia
200:
199:
62:1.55 mm
46:2.702 g
37:U.S. dollars
1448:(1983–1997)
1436:(1972–1998)
1430:(1964–1967)
1395:(2010–2021)
1241:3¢ (bronze)
1218:2¢ (billon)
1165:5¢ (silver)
1160:3¢ (nickel)
1155:3¢ (silver)
1080:Circulating
642:J2051/P2073
630:J2081/P2077
482: 1969
287:for use in
191:Design date
143:Design date
75:Composition
1462:Categories
1363:Gold Eagle
1175:$ 1 (gold)
1025:18 October
991:18 October
961:18 October
926:18 October
896:2021-09-15
822:0873499875
790:2019-07-06
766:2009-10-03
706:2009-10-03
617:References
493:bench vise
473:and 8.37%
289:ammunition
1416:Proof Set
951:About.com
853:August 3,
785:CoinWorld
517:two franc
465:In 2019,
438:Antimony
379:planchets
325:mintmarks
255:zinc cent
59:Thickness
1422:Mint Set
1210:Canceled
1123:Obsolete
843:CoinLink
827:, p. 171
669:Archived
550:See also
475:antimony
455:Vanadium
307:-coated
183:Designer
133:Designer
51:Diameter
1349:Bullion
1231:⁄
1135:⁄
514:Belgian
446:Copper
433:86.41%
273:History
259:steelie
151:Reverse
99:Obverse
35:$ 0.01
933:value.
819:
459:1.02%
449:1.75%
441:8.37%
319:, and
317:Denver
301:bronze
295:, the
285:copper
222:, and
220:Denver
175:Design
123:Design
1339:2020s
1334:2010s
1329:2000s
1324:1990s
1319:1980s
1314:1970s
1309:1950s
1304:1940s
1299:1930s
1294:1920s
1289:1910s
1284:1900s
1279:1800s
1261:$ 100
1180:$ 2.5
809:2006
340:slugs
332:dimes
309:steel
227:mints
212:steel
70:Plain
32:Value
1256:$ 50
1200:$ 20
1195:$ 10
1027:2016
993:2016
963:2016
928:2016
873:PCGS
855:2010
817:ISBN
728:PCGS
430:Tin
305:zinc
257:and
239:zinc
205:U.S.
203:are
194:1909
146:1909
86:1943
67:Edge
43:Mass
20:Cent
1251:$ 4
1246:$ 2
1190:$ 5
1185:$ 3
1170:20¢
1113:$ 1
1108:50¢
1103:25¢
1098:10¢
891:AMM
471:tin
467:NGC
1464::
1150:2¢
1093:5¢
1088:1¢
1029:.
1013:.
995:.
984:.
965:.
949:.
930:.
914:.
889:.
871:.
841:.
799:^
783:.
736:^
726:.
715:^
680:^
479:c.
315:,
253:,
249:,
218:,
1236:¢
1233:2
1229:1
1226:+
1224:2
1140:¢
1137:2
1133:1
1064:e
1057:t
1050:v
899:.
857:.
825:.
793:.
769:.
709:.
94:-
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