1943-S Lincoln Steel Cent (DDO)

Recently, one of our good customers brought in an interesting find that his father had collected decades ago. The particular coin was a 1943-S Lincoln Steel Cent. At first glance it would appear to be a high grade example of the 1943-S, when given a second look you quickly pick up on the doubling of the date and mint mark. While this may not be the most valuable find, it certain is unique. PCGS (at time of this article) only has 120 examples certified in uncirculated condition. Our customer's example has been sent of for grading and we hope to add to that population number!

During World War II strategic metals such as copper were being rationed for the war efforts. In order to meet the target reducing consumption of copper the United States Mint came up with a zinc coated steel planchet for the 1943 cent. This planchet was used in all three mints, Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. The 1943 Lincoln Steel Cent can be easily found and is rather common as millions were produced. High grade examples are collected at budget friendly prices. While nice examples can be collected, they are very susceptible to oxidizing and can quickly lose their original luster and turn a dark steel color. It is recommended to store nice example is an air tight capsule to minimize exposure.