How do you know if you have a rare 1943 penny?

Which pennies are valuable with no mint mark?

Here are a few examples of valuable coins with no mint marks:

• The 1922 No-D Lincoln Penny.
• The 1971 No-S Jefferson Proof Nickel.
• The 1975 No-S Roosevelt Proof Dime.

What are the errors on a 1943 penny?

A lot of people talk about 1943 pennies and that they may have a silver one, and while they may have the right color penny, most of those are zinc plated steel. The famed error for the 1943 penny is the copper one, as the USA switched metals from copper to steel in order to conserve metal for their war effort.

Is a 1943 penny that sticks to a magnet worth anything?

If a penny sticks to the magnet, check the date. A 1943 circulated penny that sticks is worth 10 cents or so. But a 1944 penny that sticks to the magnet should net you around $40,000.

How much can I sell a 1943 steel penny for?

Most steel pennies are worth between 20 cents and 20 dollars, with prices for 1943 penny error coins like the 1943-D doubled mintmark variety reaching several hundred dollars. However, the story of these distinctive wartime coins goes far beyond their typical values.

Should I clean old pennies?

Polishing and/or cleaning coins can reduce their value. Older coins that show deep age coloration are more desirable than coins whose surfaces have been stripped away by improper polishing or cleaning. If you do polish a coin to remove dirt, use mild soap and water.

What's so special about a 1943 penny?

The Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco mints each produced these 1943 Lincoln cents. The unique composition of the coin (low-grade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%-copper-based bronze composition) has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, zinc cent and steelie.

How do I see if my penny is valuable?

How to tell if an old penny is worth money

1. Check the Year: The minting year can tell much about a penny's value. ...
2. Inspect for Errors: Errors, like double dies or wrong metal use, can significantly increase a penny's value. ...
3. Look at the Mint Mark: The Mint Mark shows where a coin was minted.

How many 1943 copper pennies are estimated to exist?

The 1943 Copper S penny is one of the most rare coins in circulation in the United States. There are 12 that are known, with an additional 28 that may exist, but no one knows for sure, the number of 40 is an estimation based on the theory of how they were accidently produced.

How do I tell if I have a rare 1943 penny?

Using a kitchen scale that measures to the hundredth of a gram, weigh your penny. If it weighs 2.70 grams, it has the right weight for a 1943 steel penny. If it weighs 3.11 grams, examine the date and look for signs of alterations. If there are no signs of alterations, it might be a valuable error coin.

What do I do if I have a 1943 copper penny?

If you think you might own a real 1943 copper penny or any type of rare precious metals, we recommend getting it authenticated by a third-party service.

Why is the 1943 penny worth $1,000,000?

This rare 1943 Lincoln cent is only 1 of 15 known in the world. Photograph courtesy of The Money Museum. This rare cent is one of approximately 15 examples found in circulation. Known as error coins, these rare pennies were made using copper instead of zinc, and were never intended to be struck.

What mint mark pennies are valuable?

Some of the most valuable pennies include the 1943 copper Lincoln cent, 1955 double die Lincoln cent, 1909-S VDB Lincoln cent, and the 1873 Indian Head penny with a doubled "LIBERTY".

What penny is worth 2.3 million?

A 1943-D Lincoln Bronze Wheat Penny sold for $1.7 million in 2010 but is valued at $2.3 million in uncirculated mint condition. There is only one of the coins known to be in existence – struck at the Denver Mint on a bronze planchet - Yahoo said, but others could exist.

How much can you sell a 1943 penny for?

1943 steel pennies are worth about 10 to 13 cents each in circulated condition and as much as 50 cents or more if uncirculated. The following table lists the buy price (what you can expect to pay to a dealer to purchase the coin) and sell value (what you can expect a dealer to pay you if you sell the coin).

How can I identify a 1943 bronze penny?

If the coin sticks to a magnet, it is not bronze. Zinc-coated steel cents are magnetic. Weight: A genuine bronze cent should weigh approximately 3.11 grams. Zinc-coated steel cents weigh 2.69 to 2.75 grams.

Which 1943 wheat penny is worth a lot of money?

Most Lincoln Wheat pennies are worth one cent, but some rare versions can be worth thousands of dollars, such as the 1943 bronze penny, which is worth $305,000!