Unfortunately, zinc oxidizes over time and turns into a dull and dark gray color. Is My Penny Solid Copper or a Copper-Plated Zinc Cent? Earlier this year, an ordinary looking penny made headlines when it was found among the possessions of a man named Don Lutes. Moisture came in contact with the coins as they circulated in commerce. The United States Mint accidentally used the wrong kind of planchet metal when striking the coin. 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 As the totes moved from machine to machine, sometimes a blank from the last batch would get stuck in a crevice. The moisture caused the zinc coating to turn to an ugly blackish color.
If your 1943 penny is made out copper, it is worth quite a bit of money, generally $10,000 or more! Lincoln Wheat Penny Key Dates, Rarities and Varieties The coining press struck the copper planchets with the 1943 date. While the 1943 steel pennies are worth a few bucks, the rare copper version is worth more. CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 1943 Steel Wheat Penny value at an average of 45 cents, one in certified mint state (MS+) could be worth $10.
Most people believe that all pennies ever produced by the United States Mint are made of copper. One of the most unusual pennies produced by the United States Mint are the "1943 Silver Pennies." Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco all produced these ultra rare 1943 copper pennies. Metal was not the only commodity that was critical to the war effort. Once again, the totes contained a few zinc-coated steel planchets stuck in the crevices.
Get DIY project ideas and easy-to-follow crafts to help you spruce up your space. The numbers come from the United States mint, and they don't reflect coins that have been melted, destroyed, or those that have never been released. Value of a 1943 Steel Penny They are worth about 10 to 13 cents each in circulated condition, and as much as 50 cents or more if uncirculated. Call or visit your local coin dealer for more information. The uncirculated 1943 steel penny value usually ranges from about $1.50 to $5. American citizens were asked to conserve food such as sugar, meat, cooking oil, and canned goods. **When we say that 684,628,000, of these coins were produced or minted in 1943 this number doesn't always match the actual circulation count for this coin. A lightly circulated 1943 steel penny is generally worth 20 cents to 50 cents.
She is a member of the American Numismatic Association. The 1943 silver colored penny is a wartime coin issue made of steel and coated with zinc. Susan is an avid coin collector of over 30 years, and has written 150 articles for The Spruce. By using The Spruce Crafts, you accept our Please keep that in mind. ***Price subject to standard supply and demand laws, dealer premiums, and other market variations. Most numismatists believe that a few copper planchets from 1942 got caught in a crevice in the tote.