U.S. Coins — Collecting Guide by Sarah Miller
Did you see the famous 1943 Bronze Discovery Cent, found by a teenager in the 1940s, in the news recently?
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Perhaps you noticed this on television, online, or even heard about it on the radio. Heritage Auctions sold this piece recently for $204,000 in January 2019, which resulted in significant excitement from collectors and the public alike.
1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent, AU53
Legendary Off-Metal Planchet Error
The Discovery Coin
Sold for:$204,000.00
Such exciting news always results in a flurry of hopeful people scouring their change, hoping to find the winning coin. If you would like to know how to tell if your 1943 Cent is valuable, gather your change jar, and let’s begin.
Before we go into how to authenticate your 1943 Bronze Cent, it is important to know about the two types of Lincoln Cents minted that year. During World War II, a major copper shortage occurred. The US Mint responded by using zinc-coated steel to produce cents for change. Not only was the composition changed to a whitish-colored metal for just one year, but enormous quantities were produced! The San Francisco Mint minted 191,550,000 coins, Denver made 217,660,000, and Philadelphia produced 84,628,670. As you might notice from these figures, 1943 steel cents, in general, are very, very common.
While the steel version is so easy to locate, it is the bronze version which became rare when it was produced in error. While there was no official record of any copper (bronze) cents being made that year, a few were accidentally struck when some remaining coin blanks from the prior year remained in the bins at the Mint alongside the new steel planchets. Approximately 10 to 20 pieces are believed to exist today, making these pieces both rare and valuable to collectors.
The easiest way to determine whether or not your 1943 Cent has collectible value—to see if it is possibly bronze rather than steel—is simply to test it with a magnet. If the coin is magnetic, then it is, unfortunately, the common steel version and is not valuable in most cases.
However, if your 1943 Cent does NOT stick to a magnet, this coin may possibly be genuine and should be researched further. While not sticking to a magnet is a very good sign, unfortunately, this is not a guarantee that the 1943-dated piece is a genuine bronze example from that year. Over the years, many tricksters and counterfeiters have either created entirely fake pieces or have altered the dates of other cents—such as engraving a 1948 to look like a 1943—in order to fool collectors.
The best thing to do if you feel confident that your coin has an unaltered date and is not magnetic would be to send clear and detailed images to our coin experts here at Heritage for review. We may suggest having the coin authenticated by a grading service, such as PCGS or NGC, to determine the coin’s authenticity for certain.
While finding a genuine 1943 Bronze Cent is a rare case, some collectors over the years have been lucky! Even if you do not have success, you may have fun and learn something in the process. Keep up the search, and let us know if you find something promising.
Related
FAQs
The easiest way to determine whether or not your 1943 Cent has collectible value—to see if it is possibly bronze rather than steel—is simply to test it with a magnet. If the coin is magnetic, then it is, unfortunately, the common steel version and is not valuable in most cases.
How do you know if you have a rare 1943 penny? ›
Mint marks indicate the specific U.S. Mint that produced the coin and can help establish its rarity. On the 1943 steel penny, the mint mark can be found just below the date: "D" represents the Denver Mint, "S" stands for the San Francisco Mint, and no mint mark indicates the Philadelphia Mint.
How do you know if you have a rare penny? ›
One way is to check for errors from the minting process. Coins with mistakes, such as a double die or missing letters, can be worth significantly more than their regular counterparts. Another way is to look for specific years known to be scarce or have low mintage numbers.
Which 1943 pennies are worth a lot of money? ›
1943 Copper Pennies Are Insanely Valuable
The 1943 copper penny is extremely rare and valuable. Only a couple dozen pieces were made and exist today, and each is worth about $100,000. The record price for a 1943 copper Lincoln penny is over $1,700,000 at auction in 2010.
What is the error on a 1943 steel penny? ›
The 1943 Lincoln, Steel cent should stick to a magnet and the red is a form of oxidization (rust) - the missing 4 is the result of a grease filled die (where the sunken area of the die is filled and prevents a design element from being fully struck). Today these minor errors sell for $2.50 to $4 in online auctions!
How much is a 1943 steel penny worth if it sticks to a magnet? ›
In 1943 the government made nearly a billion cents made from zinc plated steel and ALL of these steel cents are magnetic. Depending on mintmark and condition they would have a RETAIL value from around 5 cents to $10 each. MOST of the ones you see will be in the 5 to 15 cent range.
Why does my 1943 steel penny not have a mint mark? ›
Hello, my name is***** am happy to assist you. The 1943 Penny is a steel penny. If you see no mint mark, the absence of a mint mark means it was minted in Philadelphia.
Which penny is worth $35000? ›
Of the three the 1982 no mint mark is slightly scarcer than the other two. But the 1982 D 3.11 gm SMALL DATE is extremely rare. So far only two specimens have been found, and have sold at auction for close to $35,000. What is the 1982 penny worth with no mint?
What is the hardest penny to find? ›
The 1969-S Lincoln Penny – Doubled Die Obverse is one of the most rare pennies sought after by collectors. This variety coin was designed by Victor D. Brenner and Frank Gasparro and features the Lincoln memorial penny design of Abraham Lincoln on the obverse and the Lincoln Memorial on the reverse.
What does the 1943 copper penny look like? ›
1943 copper pennies weigh 3.11 grams. the 3 of the date of 1943 copper penny will be identical to the 3 on a steel cent. the strike quality of all genuine 1943 copper pennies is sharp, with clear designer's initials and raised rims. These details can be muted on worn coins, however.
If it comes back as a genuine silver 1943 cent I would auction it through one of the major numismatic auction houses. You will get better exposure and better prices that way. Selling price would be hard to say but could be anywhere from $800 to $2,500 depending on how nice it is.
What are the odds of finding a 1943 copper penny? ›
The odds of finding a 1943 copper US cent are extremely low due to their rarity. The U.S. Mint switched to zinc-coated steel for pennies in 1943, but a small number of copper cents were accidentally minted. Only about 40-60 of these coins are estimated to exist today.
What is the holy grail of pennies? ›
1955 Doubled Die Lincoln Cent: $1,000 to $2,000+
Many coin collectors still consider it to be the "Holy Grail" error coin. The 1955 doubled die penny shows heavy doubling in the inscriptions on the obverse side such as the word LIBERTY and the date.
How do I know if my 1943 penny is rare? ›
The easiest way to determine whether or not your 1943 Cent has collectible value—to see if it is possibly bronze rather than steel—is simply to test it with a magnet. If the coin is magnetic, then it is, unfortunately, the common steel version and is not valuable in most cases.
Is the rare 1943 penny magnetic? ›
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. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert.
Why does my 1943 penny look silver? ›
The U.S. Mint tested several metals and materials, including plastic. In the end, Congress approved a composition of 99% steel and a coat of zinc. The zinc-steel combo made the 1943 penny look very different from its predecessors. Since it resembled a silver coin, many people started calling it "the silver penny."
How much is a 1943 copper penny worth today? ›
The 1943 copper penny is worth more than its face value. Due to its rarity and unique composition, this coin can fetch a high price of $100,000 to $250,000.
How much is a 1943 D penny worth today? ›
1943 D Wheat Penny Value
According to the NGC Price Guide, as of September 2024, a Wheat Penny from 1943 in circulated condition is worth between $0.05 and $1.25. However, on the open market 1943 D Pennies in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $1900.
What are the odds of finding a 1943 penny? ›
As of 2024, there are approximately 20 to 30 known examples of the 1943 copper penny. However, this number could vary as new discoveries are made or as existing estimates are refined. The exact number remains uncertain due to the rarity and the possibility of undiscovered pennies still out there.
How many 1943 copper pennies have been found? ›
The 1943 Copper S penny is one of the most rare coins in circulation in the United States. There are 12 that are known, with an additional 28 that may exist, but no one knows for sure, the number of 40 is an estimation based on the theory of how they were accidently produced.
