1943 One Cent 1 1

[Ron010101]

I got a friend with many antique coins, one of them seem to be a rare 1943 even with a huge magnet as one of the test didn't move. Can anyone help me to investigate little deeper to see if it's rare, here are two images.

[Mr.Bill347]

I hope you have weighed it and concur that it is 3.11 grams. You stated that it was non-magnetic, the numeral 3 looks correct as does the VDB on the reverse. You need to get it authenticated either by a reputable ANA coin dealer or by a third party grading service such as PCGS,NGC or CAC.

Approximately 40 1943 copper–alloy cents are known to remain in existence. Coin experts speculate that they were struck by accident when copper–alloy 1–cent blanks remained in the press hopper when production began on the new steel pennies.

A 1943 copper cent was first offered for sale in 1958, bringing more than $40,000. A subsequent piece sold for $10,000 at an ANA convention in 1981. The highest amount paid for a 1943 copper cent was $82,500 in 1996.

• 1943 copper pennies are nonmagnetic
• 1943 copper pennies weigh 3.11 grams!
• the 3 of the date of 1943 copper penny will be identical to the 3 on a steel cent
• the strike quality of all genuine 1943 copper pennies is sharp, with clear designer’s initials and raised rims. These details can be muted on worn coins, however. 

[Sandon]

    It is extremely unlikely that you have a genuine 1943 "copper" cent.  Numerous counterfeits have been made, especially in recent decades. The corrosion and roughness and the weakness in the reverse wheat lines of this piece are not encouraging. As it would be a very expensive proposition to submit this coin to a third-party grading service, I would first seek opinions from reputable coin dealers in your area, such as members of the Professional Numismatists Guild, https://www.pngdealers.org/af_memberDirectory_Custom.asp.

@Mr.Bill347--The "V.D.B." designer's initials are on the obverse, at the truncation of Lincoln's bust, not on the reverse, on all Lincoln cents dated 1918 and later. Only some 1909 issues have the "V.D.B." on the reverse!

[Greenstang]

Pictures aren’t very sharp, hard to see the detail.   
From what I can see it is a counterfeit but sharper photos can verify this.

[RWB]

On 9/26/2024 at 5:51 PM, Mr.Bill347 said:

copper–alloy 1–cent blanks remained in the press hopper when production began on the new steel pennies.

The speculation usually refers to large tote bins from which press planchet hoppers were filled. The press hoppers were essentially large funnels and did not have joints or seams. (See From Mine to Mint for a photo and contemporary article by the inventor.)

 

PS: To me the portrait and inscriptions are inconsistent, that is, the letters are sharp and the portrait excessively fuzzy for 1943.

Edited 2 hours ago by RWB

[Henri Charriere]

🐓  Prognosis?

Q.A.:  Inconclusive... Guarded!

[powermad5000]

Hello and welcome to the forum!
 

Unfortunately, with as many counterfeit examples that have been made over the years, the counterfeiters were savvy enough that this would be the easiest test for people to do and to make the fakes from an alloy that is cheap but non magnetic. Therefore, the magnet test, while is one of many that can be conducted for a cent as particular as this, it is not the be all end all indicator if it is not magnetic that you have one of these rare transitional error cents.

The thing I note about your cent that is not a property of a genuine transitional error cent is the fact that this cent is terribly poorly struck. Genuine bronze transitional 1943 error cents were all very sharply struck as the tonnage on the presses were increased to get the proper strike on the period correct steel cents which needed extra pressure to strike up fully. Thus, the striking of the bronze at this pressure created a very well, sharply struck image on the softer bronze.

Aside from the poor strike, the somewhat porous surface and odd coloration for this level of "wear" would be most likely a chocolate brown and not have the light coloration the raised details are on your coin, I would confidently say you possess one of the many counterfeit or fake examples of one of these rare errors which to date have all been discovered as far as the numismatic community is concerned. The chances of one of these error cents "popping up" in the wild as of this date would be infinitesimally small.