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No doubt, you've heard something in the half-knowing, half-telling media, about a "valuable 1943 'penny'".

Here are some absolute facts for you:
"Owing to a shortage of copper during the critcial war year 1943, the Treasury Deptartment resorted to the use of zinc-coated steel for our cents. No bronze cents were officially issued in 1943. A few specimens struck on bronze planchets by error are know to exist."
-- A Guide Book of United States Coins (The "Redbook")

1943 Cents are made of zinc coated low-carbon steel, weigh 2.7 grams, and are magnetic. Bronze cents (NON 1943) weigh 3.1 grams, and are NOT magnetic. Almost 1.1 billon 1943 Steel Cents were struck.
Source: Walter Breen's Complete Encylopedia of
U.S. and Colonial Coins

Approximately 70 1943 Cents were mistakenly struck in bronze, 40 at the Philadelphia mint with no mint mark, 6 in Denver with a D mint mark, and 24 in San Francisco with an S mint mark (quantities approximate).

A circulated Philadelphia specimen sold on August 11, 1999, at the American Numismatic Association Convention in Chicago, for $32,200.00. The record so far is $82,500.00 for a Denver specimen.

COPPER PLATED STEEL CENTS WILL STILL BE MAGNETIC!

Q) Of what are the new Sacagawea Dollars made?
A) They are similar to the rest of the "Clad" coinage, in that they are a "sandwich" coin, two layers bonded to a pure copper core. For the new dollars, the outer layers consist of 77% Copper, 12% Zinc, 7% Manganese, and 2% Nickel. For the other clad coinage, including the SBA Dollar, the outer layers are 75% Copper, 25% Nickel.

Q) Of what are Unites States' "Nickels" made?
A) Our "Nickels", since 1866, are made with 75% Copper and 25% Nickel.

Q) Of what are Unites States' Cents made?
A) Since midway through 1982, our Cents are made of 99.2% Zinc, 0.8% Copper; plated with Pure Copper. Prior to that time, except 1943, they were made of 95% Copper, 5% Zinc; with some minor variations, but always 95% Copper.

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