1943 Lincoln Steel Wheat Cent Rusted

Updated September 4, 2026

A 1943 Lincoln wheat cent on zinc-plated steel, Philadelphia issue, in a stapled 2x2 flip marked STeeL 1943. The final 3 of the date is soft and sits close to the rim but reads clearly enough, and the area below the date is in focus and carries no mint mark. Rust must be disclosed: there is rust-orange staining at the obverse rim from roughly 10 to 11 o'clock and again near 8 o'clock, with heavier orange-brown rust around the reverse rim from about 12 to 4 o'clock and a patch near OF AMERICA. The plating is heavily stripped, the surfaces are mottled dark blue-gray and washed out, and Lincoln's portrait is flattened by corrosion smoothing, though the reverse lettering is still bold. Steel cents were a one-year wartime substitute because copper was needed for shell casings, and over one billion were struck, which puts them among the most common United States coins in existence. In 1944 the Mint returned to copper, using metal from spent shell cases. Estimated Value: $0.25 to $1. Sold as-is. Photos are the most accurate description of this lot. Written descriptions are a guide only and may contain errors. Please review all photos before bidding.

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