According to the American Numismatic Association, the 1943 copper-alloy cent is one of the most idealized and potentially one of the most sought-after items in American numismatics. Nearly all circulating pennies at that time were struck in zinc-coated steel because copper and nickel were needed for the Allied war effort. Approximately 40 of the 1943 copper-alloy cents
are known to remain in existence.
Coin experts speculate that they were struck by accident when
copper-alloy 1-cent blanks remained in the press hopper when production
began on the new steel pennies. A 1943 copper cent was first offered for sale in 1958, bringing more than $40,000. A subsequent piece sold for $10,000 at an ANA convention in 1981. The highest amount paid for a 1943 copper cent was $82,500 in 1996. Because of its collector value, the 1943 copper cent has been counterfeited by coating steel cents with copper or by altering the dates of 1945, 1948, and 1949 pennies. 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 and is worth about 50 cents. If it does not
stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an
expert. If you have a coin that you think might be the rare 1943
copper penny, you should take it to the nearest coin shop immediately for
confirmation. It's useless to call anyone as a numismatist must SEE
your coin in person to authentic it. You'll find the yellow pages an
excellent resource for finding your nearest coin dealer. Do not call
Austin Rare Coins about pennies as we deal primarily in rare gold and
silver dollars, we therefore have limited expertise on copper pennies. |
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