Obverse. Image Courtesy of Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS.com)
  • 1 Cent 1943-1944, KM# 132a, United States of America (USA)
  • 1 Cent 1943-1944, KM# 132a, United States of America (USA)
  • 1 Cent 1943-1944, KM# 132a, United States of America (USA), Doubled mint mark
Description

The 1943 steel cent, also known as a steel war penny or steelie, was a variety of the U.S. one-cent coin which was struck in steel due to wartime shortages of copper. It used the same design that Victor David Brenner had made in 1909 for the copper Lincoln cent.

Due to wartime needs of copper for use in ammunition and other military equipment during World War II, the United States Mint researched various ways to limit dependence and meet conservation goals on copper usage. After trying out several substitutes (ranging from other metals to plastics) to replace the then-standard bronze alloy, the one-cent coin was minted in zinc-coated steel.

However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for dimes. Magnets in vending machines (which took copper cents) placed to pick up steel slugs also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the galvanization process didn't cover the edges of the coins, sweat would quickly rust the metal. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process whereby salvaged brass shell casings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy close to the 1941–42 composition. This was used for 1944–46-dated cents, after which the prewar composition was resumed. Although they continued to circulate into the 1960s, the mint collected large numbers of the 1943 cents and destroyed them.

The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet. The steel cent was also the only coin issued by the United States for circulation that does not contain any copper. (Even U.S. gold coins at various times contained from slightly over 2% copper to an eventual standard 10% copper).

By error, some bronze planchets made it into the hoppers at all three of the Mints, were struck and released into circulation in 1943. These have become the most famous (and valuable) of all off-metal errors. In an error similar to the 1943 cents, a few 1944 cents were struck on steel planchets left over from 1943.

Obverse

Abraham Lincoln (the 16th President of the United States, led the United States through its Civil War, abolished slavery) bust right, date lower right. The lettering LIBERTY and the motto IN GOD WE TRUST.

When the Lincoln one-cent coin made its initial appearance in 1909, it was the first regular coin to bear a portrait. In fact, the first President of the United States George Washington is said to have refused to allow his likeness to be incorporated into any coins. He felt, and most agreed for decades, that a portrait of a real individual was too similar to the practice of using images of royalty on coins used by the monarchal governments of Europe. But public sentiment stemming from the 100th anniversary celebration of Abraham Lincoln's birth proved stronger than the long-standing tradition. The motto In God We Trust appeared for the first time on a coin of this denomination.

The letters VDB stamped on the bottom sleeve of Abraham Lincoln represent the initials of Victor David Brenner, the primary designer of the Wheat cent (1909–1958).

IN GOD WE TRUST
LIBERTY
1943
VDB

Reverse

Two sheaves of durum wheat, one on either side, framing the inscriptions ONE CENT, the motto E PLURIBUS UNUM (Latin for "Out of many, one") and UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

E·PLURIBUS·UNUM
ONE CENT
UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Edge

1 Cent

Steel War Penny
KM# 132a
Characteristics
Material Zinc Coated Steel
Weight 2.7 g
Diameter 19 mm
Thickness 1.5 mm
Shape round
Alignment Coin
Mints
Denver Mint (D)
Philadelphia Mint (P)
San Francisco Mint (S)

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