1943 s steel Penny

@Samanthakay, you have a nice example of a circulated 1943-S steel cent. Ever seen a steel fence? This is how steel turns when it's not protected. The big issue with these circulated steel cents is people sometimes plate them to make them look brand new. That only ruins them. Keep yours just as it is, snug and safe in that 2X2.

 

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@Mathew Garza, these steel cents are softer, and as such they tend to absorb the strike differently. Your S is strike doubling. Look at the 4. Your S is skewed just as much in the same direction, and both those are from the strike.

 

It's not magnetic, but it looks like the steel. The photos attached show the steel 1943 penny on the top left, the one in question is the 1944 penny to the right of the steel one. All the others are 1944 copper pennies.

 

Thanks for the picture... it is likely plated... however, you can always take it for authentication.... It costs about $30 if you send it to PCGS....Believe me, if it turned out to be real, it would be worth a fortune.

 

Or if it's Molybdenum it's not a total loss either because that would make it very rare, too.

 

I will take a better picture of the coin and pass it on. If it's any material other than copper...does it make it a valuable coin or a fake?

 

I've never sent anything out for authentication...can you walk me through the process with PCGS? Is there a special way that I have to package it to send it etc.?
Thanks.

 

Could it be all Zink without copper? Would that make it more valuable?
Thanks.

 

The chances of it being zinc are probably as remote as it being molybdenum, so sure, it would probably be just about as valuable.

 

Now that is funny.......

 

Question, if the coin is copper plated and some of the face features are rubbed off from wear, what color should show through?

 

It is not copper plated... if anything, it is zinc or other white metal plated.....it is likely a solid copper cent with plating over top.

 

I'm not sure if the color is copper or rust on the 1944. Any ideas guys?

 

Not that it matters to the long-gone OP, but such "doubling" often appears on "reprocessed" cents, and is very possibly the cause of what we're seeing here.

 

That is right. It is the type of reprocessing that leaves the coin silvery and grainy. I noticed that on those types, too. One almost wants to say on those the plating was laid in a little thick. But I know the type you mean.

 

A 1944 steel penny is worth a lot. I would have it authenticated considering the potential value of the coin.

 

Question...does anyone know if good condition 1960's pennies are worth anything? I have a set from 1960 thru 1969 that are in pretty good condition.
I also have a set of 1980's that are very good in condition.

 

No, @Billyo, they're really not. I know, it almost seems unjust. We have a lot of real nice ones, too, and they're just, well, real nice. But it's the market for these, they're just that common.