Where can I find a 1943 steel penny?
The easiest way to determine if a 1943 cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is not copper. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert.
Is it possible to get a 1943 copper penny?
Both of these errors are extremely rare, but if you think you might have a 1943 copper penny or a 1944 steel penny, here’s how to find out if your 1943 copper penny is genuine . In fact, it may be one of the most valuable pennies ever!
Is there a silver penny made in 1942?
Hi, Tammy –. There was no silver, or steel, penny made in 1942. You either have a Mercury silver dime planchet that was accidentally struck by a Lincoln cent die or a regular copper 1942 cent that was plated in zinc, steel, silver, or another silvery metal by someone outside the Mint.
Why was there no copper in 1944 one cent coins?
Because much copper was required for military purposes, it was decided that the one cent coins (pennies) of 1943 would not contain any copper. They were specified to be zinc-coated steel. For several reasons, this metallic composition was not planned for 1944 cents.
Why are the planchets of the 1943 Penny rusting?
As the zinc coating wore off the steel core the exposed steel underneath began to rust. The manufacturing process for producing the planchets was also flawed. Mint workers first rolled a sheet of steel to the proper thickness. Next, the steel sheet was plated with zinc and passed through a blanking press.
Is the 1943 Lincoln Steel Penny really rare?
Most Probably It Is Not Rare. If the penny has a silver color, it is made out of steel with a zinc coating to make it look nicer and protect it from rusting. They are fairly common in nice condition since people tended to save them when they were first issued because they were unusual. A regular 1943 steel penny is worth only a few cents.
Hi, Tammy –. There was no silver, or steel, penny made in 1942. You either have a Mercury silver dime planchet that was accidentally struck by a Lincoln cent die or a regular copper 1942 cent that was plated in zinc, steel, silver, or another silvery metal by someone outside the Mint.
Are there any coins that were made in 1943?
There are a few very valuable error coins produced in 1943. Since the mint produces billions of coins in an average year, they use huge totes to move them around the mint facility. As the totes moved from machine to machine, sometimes a blank from the last batch would get stuck in a crevice.
As the zinc coating wore off the steel core the exposed steel underneath began to rust. The manufacturing process for producing the planchets was also flawed. Mint workers first rolled a sheet of steel to the proper thickness. Next, the steel sheet was plated with zinc and passed through a blanking press.
