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Why is the 1943 copper penny so valuable?

Why is the 1943 copper penny so valuable?

After the war ended, the Mint began to produce copper pennies again. However, in 1943, the Mint produced a few copper pennies. One possible reason for this is because the copper plates were accidentally left in a few machines. While the 1943 steel pennies are worth a few bucks, the rare copper version is worth more.

What were coins made of during World war 2?

During World War II (1942 to 1945), the five-cent coin was made of an alloy of copper, manganese, and silver. Nickel was kept aside for use in the war effort.

Why were steel pennies struck in 1943?

1943 steel cents are U.S. one-cent coins that were struck in steel due to wartime shortages of copper. The Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints each produced these 1943 Lincoln cents.

What were pennies made of during the war?

Copper and zinc, the two metals found in a penny, were rationed during World War II, so the U.S. Mint had to come up with another way to produce its most popular coin. After much debate, the government decided on zinc-coated steel. The steel penny saved enough copper to make 1.25 million shells of ammunition.

What coins are steel?

Specifications for Legal Tender Coins in USA

Denomination Metal used Weight (g)
Cent Copper -plated Zinc 2.500
Nickel Cupro-Nickel 5.000
Dime Cupro-Nickel 2.268
Quarter Dollar Cupro-Nickel 5.670

What is the composition of pennies?

Pennies are made of zinc coated with copper. Only nickels are one solid material—that same 75% copper/25% nickel alloy. Would you like fries with that? This penny is almost as big as a half dollar…

What metals are in a penny?

Pennies are made of zinc coated with copper. Only nickels are one solid material—that same 75% copper/25% nickel alloy.

Is a 1942 penny rare?

Current 1942 Penny Value Of the hundreds of millions of 1942 Lincoln cents that were made by the United States Mint, relatively few survive today in uncirculated (mint) condition. Even fewer proof 1942 pennies were made for collectors, and these are considerably scarce today.

Why was the Penny made out of steel in 1943?

In 1943 the penny was made out of zinc plated steel to save copper for the war effort which is why most 1943 pennies are silver colored. Metal was not the only commodity that was critical to the war effort.

What was the silver penny made of in World War 2?

The 1943 silver colored penny is a wartime coin issue made of steel and coated with zinc. During World War II, the war effort required a lot of copper to make shell casings and munitions.

Why did they stop making copper pennies during the war?

Steel Pennies – Wartime U.S Pennies (Non Copper) Posted on November 22, 2012. In the year 1943, USA decided to stop the production of copper pennies because they needed copper at that time due to the materials needed for the war.

What kind of metals were used in World War 2?

The War Effort and Metals The 1943 silver colored penny is a wartime coin issue made of steel and coated with zinc. During World War II, the war effort required a lot of copper to make shell casings and munitions.