According to multiple reports from coin-tracking organizations and widely read media outlets, the penny in question is the 1943 copper wheat penny. To understand why this coin is so valuable, it helps to know a bit about history. During World War II, copper was considered a critical material for the war effort. It was needed for ammunition, electrical wiring, and various military supplies. Because of this, the United States Mint made the decision to stop producing pennies out of copper in 1943. Instead, pennies that year were made from zinc-coated steel. These steel pennies look noticeably different from the usual copper ones, with a silvery-gray appearance that sets them apart. Millions of these steel cents were produced, and while they are interesting from a historical perspective, most are not especially valuable today. However, at some point during the minting process in 1943, a small number of copper blanks—leftover from 1942—were accidentally fed into the presses. The result was a tiny batch of pennies struck in copper when they were supposed to be steel. These coins were never intended to exist, and that mistake is exactly what gives them their incredible value today.
see next page
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
