(50) 1943 Steel Pennies
Updated August 19, 2026
| Lot number | 153 |
| Auction | VARIETY COIN AUCTION - 8/26/26 |
| Date | August 26, 2026 at 7:05 PM CDT |
| Auction house | BIGBIDNOW |
| Location | Columbia, Missouri |
Offered is a lot of 50 original 1943 Lincoln Steel Cents, the unique wartime pennies produced by the United States Mint during World War II. These coins feature the classic Lincoln obverse and Wheat reverse and may include examples from the Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco Mints. Please review the photos for the specific coins and conditions included. In 1943, the U.S. Mint changed the composition of the Lincoln cent because copper was critically needed for the war effort. Instead, cents were struck on zinc-coated steel planchets, giving them their distinctive silvery appearance. Nearly 1.1 billion 1943 steel cents were produced across the three U.S. Mints. The 1943 Steel Cent was a one-year-only regular issue and is easily recognized by its magnetic steel composition. The zinc coating was intended to help protect the steel from corrosion, although many examples developed spots or rust when the coating wore away. Copper cents returned in 1944.
