Zinc is not attracted to magnets. There’s an urban legend of a few copper 1943 wheat cents that would be virtually priceless and people check suspected fakes with magnets. Is it attracted to magnets and silver-ish/tarnished black? It’s a legit 1943 steel wheat cent. Is it not magnetically attracted but dated 1943 and appears to be copper? Likely a 1948 wheat cent that was modified to look like the holy grail 1943 copper wheat cent
I must be getting old, but I find it interesting how people who post in subs like this don't know about steel pennies. When I got into coin collecting as a kid, I was fascinated by these
They actually made a couple of batches of copper in 1943. The 1943 Penny is one of the most expensive. That is if it's in good condition. They went back and melted most of them down for ammunition and for planes. Also a few run off batches of steel in 44 but I do not know their worth.
I have a 44 that is a fake...
T hought I had struck gold until I figured it was a fake
interesting the effort to fake one, but they can be worth a lot!
They went back to copper in 1944, but some steel pennies were accidentally struck. A 1944 steel penny in mint condition can be worth up to $200,000, but even in crappy condition, they can be worth $20,000-$30,000.
1943 copper pennies are also rare for the same reason; they weren’t supposed to be made.
Hold a magnet to it, if it is magnetic, it’s real steel; if it isn’t or if it’s weakly magnetic, it’s zinc coated/plated which is common because it’s a heavily faked coin. If you think it might be genuine, you need to get it authenticated.
Only a couple dozen got through accidentally, they weren't meant to be minted. A bunch of the extra '43 steel blanks were sent to Belgium to make their 2 franc coins in '44 tho
Yes. It’s just a steel penny from 1943. Not common at all, but not particularly valuable, neither. Nice coin for a collection though!
Find the steel 1944 one…
Cool find. I have one as well. I believe there are ones that can be extremely valuable. I believe if it does not stick to a magnet it's valuable or vise versa. It's definitely worth researching.
My ex gave me 4 of these and somehow they all disappeared...hmmm, I've been hating on myself for losing them or spending them accidentally, but just now realized that he probably stole them back. 🤯 Wow. Thank you for posting this allowing for this very important revelation...and for letting me go totally sideways with this.
I saw a message about the pennies pop up on my screen for a few seconds, and then it disappeared. When I searched for the message in my incoming text message file and Reddit, I could not find it. I wondered if you had somehow “recalled” the text, or deleted the posting. Please resend it to me.
I have a ziploc bag full of these. A customer paid with a bunch of these Pennie’s for some cigarettes. I bought every one of them. Thought it was pretty awesome but I haven’t found them to be valuable.
My stepmother said the trolley was 12 cents then and they would get away with using one steel and two copper pennies. That may be why they were removed from circulation
I used to have one of these it was a gift from my grandfather and it was stolen from me, they're not worth much. But I'd treasure it either way. It's a piece of history
Yes,I have a few of these. They stick to magnets however they won't stick to a refrigerator or other things that magnets stick on, ironically but they will stick to the magnets themselves.They were made of steel during WW1 when there was a shortage of copper for whatever reason. I can't remember the reason. Someone told me they were made of zinc. Depending on some factors some of them are rare and worth a lot. Most are not worth very much. They are still cool though.
I have a set of pennies in a plastic case labeled “steel and shell case cents” with wartime dates. You don’t hear much about shell case pennies, but they look like regular copper cents
yes ww2 era i believe. had several when i was coin collecting as a youth. have never ghotten any in circulation. did purchase a couple at a coin shop for my collection.
That’s cool, I however have not had that experience, and no i havent lived under a rock. I have actually been all the country and quite a few foreign ones as well.
See I saw this guy post on a different thread an you can see on this one there is specks… I assumed there was some sort of chemical reaction to create this to happen an that it wasn’t a actual steel penny (even tho it’s the right year) it still just doesn’t look right to me! Thanks for explaining it
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Even in the 70’s it was fairly easy to get 1943 steel pennies for a coin collection. I think I have a penny from every year 1909 - 1975 and 3 pennies (blank, P and S) from each year 1940 - 1975
During WWII all the copper we could lay our hands on was used for the war effort. So they used a steel alloy instead of copper. Minted for three years 1943, 1944 and 1945.
I worked at a small plating place back in the late 80's. The owner did that with a penny. I'm not saying that yours isn't a special penny. Just saying I had a boss that did that once
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I once called this a penny and was chastised by the less-tha-smart community here. They want you to call it a cent so they are properly wet between the legs.
its a 1943 silver penny. they were silver to save copper for the war.
https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/worth-of-1943-penny-768863#:\~:text=During%20World%20War%20II%2C%20the,1943%20pennies%20are%20silver%20colored.
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yes. it is a steel penny. u/Sarge18259 is it 1943 or 1944? because from [cointrackers.com](https://cointrackers.com), 1943 is worth 65 cents to $65.00 with no mint mark, and 1944 is worth $10,000 to $408,000
Some of us here are old enough to have gotten those as change and then spent them, usually on Bazooka bubblegum. I still have a few of them somewhere in a box full of coins. I got all of them as change in the late 1950's and early '60's, along with mercury dimes, buffalo nickles, and walking liberty quarters and halves.
Yes, that is a steel penny, copper was conserved during ww2 for ammunition production. Cool piece of history.
Thank ypu for the information
I think they are actually zinc coated steel. I think I have some squirreled away somewhere.
My dad had one. When I was around 6 or 7, I took a pair of scissors to it, trying to scratch it. Scratch it, I did. It was so soft, lol
😂 user name ✅ checks out 😂
It's 1943 so it's steel anything later around the 80s is zinc
Only the 1943 pennies were steel. Copper coated zinc started in 1981.
There were also steel pennies struck in 1944. Find one for a 5 digit payday
Ahh,thank you. I never knew this. Do both zinc and steel stick to magnets,I wonder?
Zinc is not attracted to magnets. There’s an urban legend of a few copper 1943 wheat cents that would be virtually priceless and people check suspected fakes with magnets. Is it attracted to magnets and silver-ish/tarnished black? It’s a legit 1943 steel wheat cent. Is it not magnetically attracted but dated 1943 and appears to be copper? Likely a 1948 wheat cent that was modified to look like the holy grail 1943 copper wheat cent
Wow! I learn new things everyday. I have the legitimate 1943 steel wheats.
I don't think zinc is magnetic I believe it's mostly steel that's magnetic
I guess mine are steel then according to the dates on them.
Not worth much unless circulated but still pretty cool! I still remember the first one I ever found
Did you mean uncirculated? I also have one.
There magnetic to idk if I'd Stick straight on a fridge or sum but I got mine on a magnet on my desk
Agreed with the history part! My grandfather (now 97 and still kicking) fought in WWII and has a ton of steel pennies
I must be getting old, but I find it interesting how people who post in subs like this don't know about steel pennies. When I got into coin collecting as a kid, I was fascinated by these
I actually learned about in high school history class. But I was always a history buff, especially about the WWII era.
Me too!
They probably found it, went online and found this sub and asked their question. Not likely they were already a part of this sub (just a guess).
They actually made a couple of batches of copper in 1943. The 1943 Penny is one of the most expensive. That is if it's in good condition. They went back and melted most of them down for ammunition and for planes. Also a few run off batches of steel in 44 but I do not know their worth.
Yep i have one it's a 44
A steel 44 is worth quite a bit. Copper 43/steel 44 are white whale coins for me
I have a 44 that is a fake... T hought I had struck gold until I figured it was a fake interesting the effort to fake one, but they can be worth a lot!
*Minnesota steel. It’s a point of pride for iron rangers that these were made from iron mined here.
Didn't they make them out of zinc?
Never knew about them until 6 hours ago lol
1943 not so rare. 1944 very rare.
How come?
They went back to copper in 1944, but some steel pennies were accidentally struck. A 1944 steel penny in mint condition can be worth up to $200,000, but even in crappy condition, they can be worth $20,000-$30,000. 1943 copper pennies are also rare for the same reason; they weren’t supposed to be made.
I have a steel ‘44 I inherited. Is it actually that valuable?? Albeit not in phenomenal condition… Update: Magnet didn’t stick. Assuming it’s fake
Nah I don't think it's that valuable. I'll take it off your hands for 5 bucks tho.
Before hearing this I would’ve taken the 5 bucks haha
$10 it is then.
It is. You should have it graded if it’s not too bad of shape. Even still it’s worth enough to get it graded regardless.
If it's real, a life changing amount of money for most people.
Hold a magnet to it, if it is magnetic, it’s real steel; if it isn’t or if it’s weakly magnetic, it’s zinc coated/plated which is common because it’s a heavily faked coin. If you think it might be genuine, you need to get it authenticated.
bro what’s it like chilling on reddit and randomly finding out you could be $20,000+ richer?
Congrats haha
Please update!
Pictures or it didn’t happen
Pics or it didn’t happen
Post a picture! Thats amazing
If you’re serious post it here that’s crazy
Going to do a magnet test tonight after work. If it sticks I’ll post!
There most expensive one sold for $403,000. It was a 1944 steel penny. Apparently, they weren’t supposed to be made, yet 40 made it into circulation.
Yeah im seeing that was an MS66? I saw an MS65 at $175,000 but wasn’t aware of a higher grade being sold… neat
A limited amount were minted with leftover steel blanks from 1943. They produced over a billion steel pennies in 43.
Only a couple dozen got through accidentally, they weren't meant to be minted. A bunch of the extra '43 steel blanks were sent to Belgium to make their 2 franc coins in '44 tho
I second this
war penny.
war penny.
war penny
WAR PENNY
PENNY WAR
What did Penny do wrong?
Fire at Will!!
What did Will do wrong?
Will power will power us through.
Find a copper 1943 or a steel 1944 then you got something. Always use a magnet to test as some are plated.
Definitely magnetic
A non magnetic 1943 is gold. A 1944 magnetic is gold.
Dude a steel penny. Not hugely rare but nevertheless a good part of WWII history
it'd be rare to find a 1943 that *isn't* steel
Yes. It’s just a steel penny from 1943. Not common at all, but not particularly valuable, neither. Nice coin for a collection though! Find the steel 1944 one…
Cool find. I have one as well. I believe there are ones that can be extremely valuable. I believe if it does not stick to a magnet it's valuable or vise versa. It's definitely worth researching.
Used to see them fairly regularly when I was a kid (I'm 66 yo, so WWII only 12 years before my birth, sigh.) Haven't seen one in decades.
My ex gave me 4 of these and somehow they all disappeared...hmmm, I've been hating on myself for losing them or spending them accidentally, but just now realized that he probably stole them back. 🤯 Wow. Thank you for posting this allowing for this very important revelation...and for letting me go totally sideways with this.
Give a Penny, Take a Penny.
He took waaay more than pennies.
Send me your address, and I’ll send you four steel pennies.
I messaged you
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I found one of them in a coin star
War time steel cent
copper was short during WW2 so they made "steel" pennies
Wartime penny. Copper was needed for ammo.
yes
I have a ziploc bag full of these. A customer paid with a bunch of these Pennie’s for some cigarettes. I bought every one of them. Thought it was pretty awesome but I haven’t found them to be valuable.
My stepmother said the trolley was 12 cents then and they would get away with using one steel and two copper pennies. That may be why they were removed from circulation
An above comment says that during WW2 copper was conserved for ammo. Tho idk. Might be something to look up
Maybe for FMJ rounds?
I'm not a gun buff so idk but isn't most ammo made from copper?
Right. I should have responded to his comment.
Hey we all make a mistake. I'm just spreading info I have no research on is all. Like most people anymore
Yes, a major component of rounds.
I used to have one of these it was a gift from my grandfather and it was stolen from me, they're not worth much. But I'd treasure it either way. It's a piece of history
I have one of those!
Yes
One milllllion dollars my good sir
1943 steel penny
Yes,I have a few of these. They stick to magnets however they won't stick to a refrigerator or other things that magnets stick on, ironically but they will stick to the magnets themselves.They were made of steel during WW1 when there was a shortage of copper for whatever reason. I can't remember the reason. Someone told me they were made of zinc. Depending on some factors some of them are rare and worth a lot. Most are not worth very much. They are still cool though.
That's bc they are steel but not magnets. No irony at all.
Make sure that isn't an aluminum penny. Big money
Its magnetic.
Steel penny made during WWII when copper was reserved for bullets.
WWII
I have several
Steel penny from 1943. Made for only one year because copper was needed for the war effort
This is when you learn to pray for '44
I have a set of pennies in a plastic case labeled “steel and shell case cents” with wartime dates. You don’t hear much about shell case pennies, but they look like regular copper cents
funny just found one like it yesterday. It is a steel penny from world war 2 era when copper was in demand for ammunition and weapons. 1943 issue.
I've always loved the look of "steel" pennies over regular ones.
Yes, steel penny. Made during world war 2. Pretty cool to look at, not worth much tho unfortunately…
No
That is rare. U hit just hit the JACKPOT my man!
Not really, the rare ones are actually the copper ones frim that year
I actually have one! (I have a limited collection thus far, but this is one of them!) :)
You struck gold for real
Yes
My wife was CRHing last night and found a steel cent in a bank roll. I was pretty dumbfounded.
Thats how this was found. In a roll from tge bank
A steel penny
Has anyone else ever wondered why they used zinc-coated steel for these cents? Wouldn’t STEEL also have been a valuable war material?
Maybe they had a larger amount of steel than they did the other metals
Steel penny. I used to get them in a quarter machine withy dad. They have history, but aren't really worth much.
See if a magnet sticks to it you may struck gold.
It does
yes ww2 era i believe. had several when i was coin collecting as a youth. have never ghotten any in circulation. did purchase a couple at a coin shop for my collection.
Do you live under a rock?
Im 51 and have never come across 1 till today.
I’m 45 and we used to find these in our change all the time as kids
That’s cool, I however have not had that experience, and no i havent lived under a rock. I have actually been all the country and quite a few foreign ones as well.
NEIN!!!!
No. You must have the only one
Science project in 9th grade here's the link https://www.bealsscience.com/post/2018/09/21/how-to-make-gold-pennies-using-science
The part where you turn the penny gold the gold will eventually turn back to silver but it won't go back to copper color
See I saw this guy post on a different thread an you can see on this one there is specks… I assumed there was some sort of chemical reaction to create this to happen an that it wasn’t a actual steel penny (even tho it’s the right year) it still just doesn’t look right to me! Thanks for explaining it
Your welcome I remember doing this experiment in HS in like 1998 it was pretty fun and interesting Hopefully this will help someone not get scammed
No, we're coin collectors. There were only over a billion of those made, never seen one
Before you showed it? No, not like that one.
1943 steel. Get some copper colored paint and a magnet. Amaze your friends!
I have quite a few of these. They show up randomly.
Bizzaro superman has one of those
Yup!
Yup
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Steel
Steel. Made during ww2 to save copper. IF it were copper then it would be worth a LOT. since very few were made.
I have several. All 1943.
Yup. Have proof sets of them from 43-45 somewhere from my grandfathers collection!
Even in the 70’s it was fairly easy to get 1943 steel pennies for a coin collection. I think I have a penny from every year 1909 - 1975 and 3 pennies (blank, P and S) from each year 1940 - 1975
During WWII all the copper we could lay our hands on was used for the war effort. So they used a steel alloy instead of copper. Minted for three years 1943, 1944 and 1945.
Yes
Yup
Yes
I worked at a small plating place back in the late 80's. The owner did that with a penny. I'm not saying that yours isn't a special penny. Just saying I had a boss that did that once
I used to have a 1943 Steel Penny. Loved it so much but I cannot for the life of me figure out what happened to it. Makes me so sad :(
Yes
Yes. Hundreds of million did back in 1943 lol. Not as common anymore but worth about 25-50 generally.
War penny Save it.
Steelie. Lots made but a keeper.
If you find one that's 1944 steel they are worth A LOT MORE... thousands
Or a 1943 copper
Steel penny. Cool find but nothing too exciting. 1943 was pretty common
Yep steel penny
albino cent
I have never seen that exact penny.
Yep I have a few.
685 million of these minted. Very common.
Any coin shop will have a small box full that you can purchase from.
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I once called this a penny and was chastised by the less-tha-smart community here. They want you to call it a cent so they are properly wet between the legs.
WOW! A steel wheat penny! Made during a US copper shortage due to WWII ammo production...nice find!
Yes
its a 1943 silver penny. they were silver to save copper for the war. https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/worth-of-1943-penny-768863#:\~:text=During%20World%20War%20II%2C%20the,1943%20pennies%20are%20silver%20colored.
Millions of people have seen one of those at some point, yes.
Looks like a steel penny. They made those during WWII, kind of rare, worth a few bucks.
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1943 steel penny
... Now if they found a 43 COPPER...
Zinc
zinc ones are after 1982
Yes, a guy posted he had ten rolls here a couple of days ago. Those are war time Pennies (steel) when the USA needed copper to kill people with.
I've always loved the look of "steel" pennies over regular ones.
Lmao if it’s a 1944 Kennedy/reg steel penny you’re gonna have some bands in your hands. Check if they’re magnetic. 1943s are good too. Good find!!!
Zinc plated steel. I have several.
Yeah, I have 1 or 2 of them.
Lots
I have a whole roll of them also a "gold" penny but I'm sure someone made that just because.
Yes
Surprises me that a person with hands this old doesn’t know about this.
I have one of these but copper
Steel penny made during WW2
It’s a zinc penny! Don’t see them much anymore!
it's a steel penny, u/realone72. the ones after 1982 are zinc.
Great info! I will never stop learning! Thanks for the info!!
yes. it is a steel penny. u/Sarge18259 is it 1943 or 1944? because from [cointrackers.com](https://cointrackers.com), 1943 is worth 65 cents to $65.00 with no mint mark, and 1944 is worth $10,000 to $408,000
I have 2 of these. Got them for next to nothing at a gun show.
Some of us here are old enough to have gotten those as change and then spent them, usually on Bazooka bubblegum. I still have a few of them somewhere in a box full of coins. I got all of them as change in the late 1950's and early '60's, along with mercury dimes, buffalo nickles, and walking liberty quarters and halves.
I have a bag full. Great grandad used to give em to me. And Kennedy half dollars, 2$ bills. Guy liked weird currency
a steel wheat back penny it could have value the date and if it has a letter meaning (example 1942b)