Help me identify this 1943 Lincoln Cent

[macrocoin]

Found this today in loose change...

 

 

I have never seen a 1943 Bronze cent so my heart nearly stopped when I looked at my hand of change and saw this coin. I came home and did the magnet test and as it turns out, no jackpot...it jumped right up to the magnet

 

Still, I dont know the history behind this coin.

Clearly it isnt a standard steel cent since its coated in some red metal, I assume copper.

 

What can the lincoln cent historians here tell me about my new found treasure?

Its a pretty well circulated coin...maybe G-VG depending on who grades it.

I wasnt aware that the mint turned out anything in 1943 other than the basic steel cent (and the bronze errors)

 

Thanks for any info you folks might have.

~macro~

[spiny]

Looks rusted to me. I've never found one metal detecting, but I'd guess that once the zinc layer corroded away it would leave steel to rust.

I'd say it was VFish before the corrosion.

[hoard]

There were some, I think about a dozen, copper lincolns struck in error. Since it stuck to the magnet it is probably an attempt at forgery. There are also cases of 1948 altered to pass off as 1943.

[macrocoin]

Looks rusted to me. I've never found one metal detecting, but I'd guess that once the zinc layer corroded away it would leave steel to rust.

I'd say it was VFish before the corrosion.

 

It definitely isnt rust - the picture is pretty weak due to my cheap camera.

Side by side with a typical wheat cent, it has the same look and feel.

[macrocoin]

There were some, I think about a dozen, copper lincolns struck in error. Since it stuck to the magnet it is probably an attempt at forgery. There are also cases of 1948 altered to pass off as 1943.

 

I thought about this as well.

I compared the one I found today with another plain jane steel cent and the "3" is in the correct position and appears (to my eyes) to be the genuine article. It didnt look to be a doctored "8" - although the more I learn, the more impressive some of the forgeries I see are. Hmmmm....it definitely has a metal inside that sticks to a magnet, but the outer layer is identical (to me) with any other wheat cents from that approximate era.

 

Thoughts?

Suggestions?

 

Thanks.

[hoard]

by forgery I meant they copper plated a 43 steel penny.

[ldhair]

Someone coated it with copper at some point.

I don't believe it left the mint like it is.

These show up quite often.

[SignatureSelect]

But why would forgery end up in change.

[macrocoin]

But why would forgery end up in change.

 

It would seem to me that it would take a pretty serious effort to coat a steel penny in copper - with that in mind I cant imagine someone just dropping it off into circulation when they were done with the experiment.

 

I will try to take some better pictures and post additional images...thanks for the replies so far.

[zrlevin]

 

It would seem to me that it would take a pretty serious effort to coat a steel penny in copper - with that in mind I cant imagine someone just dropping it off into circulation when they were done with the experiment.

 

 

Not really I don't think, just leave it to electroplate for a few days. Electroplating is often uneven however, as this one appears to be.

[macrocoin]

Here are a few more shots...

 

I placed the suspect coin between a 1943 Steel & a 1950S in similar condition.

After looking closely for a while I started to see that the high relief areas are worn through to the steel on the suspect coin. I dont think that this was cast...its definitely a minted 1943, but it is looking more like someone had it plated. I am amazed that someone would go through the trouble (and cost) of having this work done and then dropping it into circulation. If nothing else it makes a conversation piece for my collection. I had fun today investigating it....heck, I learned more about the 1943 cent than I planned on when I got out of bed today!!!

 

Here are the comparison shots...both obverse and reverse.

I get the impression from the color of the copper that it was 'built' in recent years and from the wear it has been in circulation for a while. My 1942 & 1944 cents are more brown than this. What a strange find.

 

 

[ldhair]

Copper coated. Not quite as good a job.

And his buddy a 44, zinc coated.

[EZ_E]

it definitely has a metal inside that sticks to a magnet,

 

That is the give away that it is a steel cent. If it was authentic then it would not stick to the magnet. Still, it is a cool and unusual find.

[Bruceswar]

it definitely has a metal inside that sticks to a magnet,

 

That is the give away that it is a steel cent. If it was authentic then it would not stick to the magnet. Still, it is a cool and unusual find.

 

 

I agree with you and would add these are more common than you may think. The 1943 Copper pennies have been known to exist for far longer than the recent boom and write up about them. Just ask the guys on the comic side about ads wanting to buy them back in the 60's "We will pay you up to $40,000 for this coin" and then a 1943 copper penny was shown.