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1943 Steel Penny What Makes Them Appear Bronze

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United States
11 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  3:28 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Mitzi1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
*** Moved by Staff to a more appropriate forum. ***

My mom gave me a handful of old coins including a 1943 philly steel penny (my grandpa used to collect and had rolls of steel pennies) and I just took it out of the baggie holder and it appears bronze and I'm curious why that would be. I have a 1944 and an 87 in the photo with it for comparison. Never really noticed it through the baggy. I weighed the 44 and 43 and I think my scale is off because they weighed the same and I don't have anything that's 200g on the nose to calibrate it. Thank you in advance


New Member
United States
11 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  3:40 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mitzi1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I guess I'm wondering if it is something like heat or it was exposed to something that would make it look this way. Also, I don't know if any of the coins my mom gave me had been in his collection. I don't think so but she inherited his home so could've been just hanging out there or she could've gotten it in change. The other older coins don't seem to be in a condition that would be worth collecting.
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Marve65's Avatar
United States
4629 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  4:42 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Marve65 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Plating - you can see the zinc/steel under the copper where it is wearing off.
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Joshu - a's Avatar
United States
415 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  4:53 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Joshu - a to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
At least you understand that it is steel. Someone plated over it to intentionally trick people to believe that it is a rare 1943 copper cent.
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cladking's Avatar
United States
2106 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  6:04 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add cladking to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
There are lots and lots of plated '43 cents. My heart used to skip a beat every time I saw one until I realized they "all" stick to magnets.
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United States
782 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  6:06 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jfeed to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Does the cent stick to a magnet. If it does, it's a 1943 steel. Looks copper plated as stated above.
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Dearborn's Avatar
United States
64158 Posts
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Errers and Varietys's Avatar
United States
54905 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  6:44 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Errers and Varietys to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
To CCF! Could be plated as stated above.
Errers and Varietys.
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Tacc's Avatar
United States
3341 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  7:50 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Tacc to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Agree, just a poor attempt at a counterfeit '43 copper.
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sel_69l's Avatar
Australia
21593 Posts
 Posted 02/23/2025  11:19 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add sel_69l to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Very to copper plate steel cents.
Easily done in a basic high school experiment.
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Petespockets55's Avatar
United States
5409 Posts
 Posted 02/24/2025  06:53 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Petespockets55 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
To be sure it's steel, do the magnet test as Jfeed suggested.
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New Member
United States
11 Posts
 Posted 02/26/2025  10:19 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mitzi1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Yeah, my heart skipped a beat but I knew I wasn't that lucky. It stuck to a magnet. I'm not sure about the attempted deception because it's been in my mom's possession for quite some time... Decades and she won't even check her change for 82d small dates for me lol. I just figured it may have been exposed to something that changed the hue. She told me it was steel so I was pretty confused when it appeared copper. Now watch me come across another and dismiss it and it'll be legit. That's my luck in a nutshell
New Member
United States
11 Posts
 Posted 02/26/2025  10:23 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Mitzi1 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Really appreciate everyone who took the time to respond. Thank you!
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