![]() ![]() ![]() During this time, resources such as copper and nickel were needed to produce ammunition and artillery.Īs the military industry began to run out of the copper needed to make castings, Congress approved a change in the one-cent coin in December of 1942 to conserve precious resources. Steel pennies have historical significance in America because they were minted in the middle of World War II, a global conflict that involved the nation’s military from 1941 to 1945. Mint decided to go back to using copper for penny production in 1944. The steel penny also caused people to lose out on money as they were easily mistaken for a dime. The coinage quickly lost its zinc surface layer and was prone to rust. Unfortunately, the Lincoln steel penny did not go over well with most people and ceased production after one year. Here is a breakdown of how many steel pennies were minted at each Mint branch: On the other hand, the Philadelphia Mint typically has no mint mark. ![]() Likewise, the Denver Mint has a “D” mint mark. The San Francisco Mint has an “S” mint mark. You can quickly decipher where a steel penny was minted by the mint marks on the coin’s reverse. mints struck over 1,000,000,000 Lincoln steel cents for circulation in 1943. to manufacture 1.25 million shells for large-caliber weapons during World War II. Having the three branch Mints produce zinc-coated steel planchets saved enough copper for the U.S. The coin’s diameter stayed the same at 19.05mm, and Abraham Lincoln’s iconic portrait remained as the obverse design. Next, they selected the Philadelphia (P), Denver (D), and San Francisco (S) Mints for minting pennies.Īfter a litany of tests, it was determined the most cost-effective metal composition replacement for the Lincoln penny would be a 99% steel planchet with a thin coat of zinc plating. First, they approved zinc-coated steel to be used for minting the 1943 Lincoln Wheat Cents. To conserve copper for the war effort, the U.S. Brenner always had an interest in numismatics and joined the American Numismatic and Archeological Society just four years after arriving in the U.S. He eventually moved to Paris to hone his skills and further his studies. His father taught him the skills for sculpting and seal engraving, which is what helped him to get by for years. Brenner’s design was selected by President Theodore Roosevelt, who had previously posed for him in New York.īrenner was born in Lithuania to Jewish parents but moved to America in 1890 at the age of 19. His work is one of the most reproduced pieces of art in world history. He was an American sculptor, medalist, and skilled engraver who created the longest-running obverse design in the U.S. Brenner’s portrait of the nation’s 16th president, Abraham Lincoln, is still used today, while his reverse design for the coin was used from 1909 to 1958. Victor David Brenner was the well-known designer of the Lincoln cent. The coin’s unique composition has led to other nicknames such as steel war penny, wartime cent, zinc cent, and steelie. It’s the only regular American coin that is magnetic.ĭuring World War II, copper was needed to make shell casings, so the United States Mint started using galvanized steel to make one-cent coins instead. The 1943 Steel cent is made of steel with a zinc coating, which more closely resembles a dime than a typical penny. Their unique look is why you’ll often hear them referred to as the silver penny. one-cent coins struck in steel rather than copper. What Are Steel Pennies?Īs the name suggests, steel pennies are U.S. However, if you come across a 1943 penny error coin, such as the 1943-D doubled mintmark variety, you may have found one of the most valuable pennies. They’re fun to collect, but most steel pennies aren’t worth too much more than face value. When people see an old penny that’s not made of copper, they quickly want to know if it’s rare and worth money. coin among coin collectors because it looks quite different than most other pennies. ![]()
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