1943 steel pennies are among the most popular Lincoln cents of all time.
Why? One reason may be that they look so different from all the copper Lincoln pennies made over the decades.
1943 pennies were made because the United States was, at the time, engaged in World War II. Copper was being rationed to make artillery.
Here are 5 Fun Facts about 1943 steel pennies:
- More than 1 billion 1943 steel pennies were made — so they aren’t rare.
- 1943 steel pennies weigh 2.70 grams — lighter than traditional copper Lincoln pennies that weigh 3.11 grams. (Here’s everything you need to know about coin scales.)
- 1943 steel pennies stick to a magnet.
- There is a coating of zinc on each steel penny.
- Most 1943 steel pennies are worth 25 cents to 75 cents each. Well-worn or rusted steel pennies are worth less. Uncirculated specimens are worth more.
I’m the Coin Editor here at TheFunTimesGuide. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. I primarily collect and study U.S. coins produced during the 20th century. I’m a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. I’m also the editor at the Florida United Numismatists Club (FUN Topics magazine), and author of Images of America: The United States Mint in Philadelphia (a book that explores the colorful history of the Philadelphia Mint). I’ve contributed hundreds of articles for various coin publications including COINage, The Numismatist, Numismatic News, Coin Dealer Newsletter, Coin Values, and CoinWeek. I’ve authored nearly 1,000 articles here at The Fun Times Guide to Coins (many of them with over 50K shares), and I welcome your coin questions in the comments below!
