1943 S Copper Penny | Famous Coins | Finest Known (2024)

FAQs

1943 S Copper Penny | Famous Coins | Finest Known? ›

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.

1943 copper cent

An estimated 40 examples are believed to have been struck, with 13 confirmed to exist.

There are 5 known 1943 copper pennies bearing the “S” mint mark for the San Francisco Mint. The lowest-graded one is an MS30 coin, valued at $145,000; the highest-grade one is an MS63, also priced at $1,000,000. Check out our list of the most valuable pennies in US history!

A 1943 Lincoln penny that soared in value because it was made from the "wrong" material reportedly has sold for $1 million. The penny was erroneously made of bronze instead of zinc-coated steel at the San Francisco Mint, according to UPI news agency. Texas Rangers co-chairman Bob R.

1943 S Wheat Penny Value

According to the NGC Price Guide, as of June 2024, a Wheat Penny from 1943 in circulated condition is worth between $0.05 and $2. However, on the open market 1943 S Pennies in pristine, uncirculated condition sell for as much as $7000.

1943 Wheat Penny (back)

There was still material left in the mint presses from the 1942 production so they accidentally made one batch out of copper. Only about 20-40 of those pennies are out there. A used one, as most are, can net you from $100,000 – $500,000.

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.

Over 100 million 1943-S Steel Cents were struck, making them very common today. Apparently, collectors saved many thousands of Mint State examples, as evidenced by the large number of certified examples in the MS66 and MS67 grades.

Copper pennies were struck by mistake in 1943, as the composition of the cent coin had changed to zinc-coated steel amidst the copper conservation effort of World War II. These are error coins and were produced because of copper blanks left in the press hopper from 1942, which resulted in a few copper pennies.

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How much can I sell a 1943 penny for? ›

Most 1943 Lincoln pennies in worn grades (average condition) trade for around 10 cents to 25 cents apiece. Typical examples in uncirculated condition usually realize $1 to $5. Top-level specimens in grades of Mint State-67 or better can go for much more, sometimes hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

The piece was a 1943 Lincoln bronze cent, a coin that was with the man from 1947 to 2018, when he gave it to the auction house before he died.

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).

An estimated 40 pennies were believed to have been produced, with 12 that are known positively to be in existence. They are extremely rare and they are believed to have been made by accident, such as copper left in the machine when it was changing over from copper to steel.

To tell if your 1943 penny is worth a mil, put a magnet over it. If it sticks to the magnet, it is steel, but still worth anywhere between 20 cents and $20.

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.

Although there is no specific mintage figure for the 1943-D/D Lincoln cent, it is estimated that possibly only 3,000 to 5,000 examples exist in all grades. Non-error steel cents are not inherently rare; their appeal largely lies in their novelty. The value of a steel penny is heavily dependent on the coin's condition.

Steel pennies minted in Philadelphia in 1943 are common nowadays, meaning you can get one used piece for $0.13 to $0.30. Those in the mint state come in a wide price range from several cents for those in MS 60 rank to $3,600 for MS 68-graded ones.

However, there were a few planchets left in the machine as the change was made making a 1943 copper penny extremely rare and valuable. When they made the switch back in 1944 the same thing happened but opposite .