I was looking for any possible information on a 1943 S Wheat Cent I own. I noticed something strange with the mint mark on this coin and can't find any info in relation to what I see. If you have any thoughts or information to help with identifying and value, please share. Thanks.
Welcome to CT. I agree with processed. It was plated with something after leaving the mint. Very little value.
Littleton isn't the only source of reprocessed cents, but they've certainly sold a lot of them. OP, It is very common to find reprocessed cents displaying mintmark anomalies, often giving the appearance of doubling or repunching.
Imagine painting an item that has fine details. You may have some paint build up in some of the small crevices that conceal some of the detail of the item you are painting..... Same sort of scenario with a reprocessed steel cent.
I also have this proof penny I was curious about. The penny seems to have some issues with the mint mark.
There is no need for the magnet test on this coin. No one is claiming it is, or questioning if it is, copper. The fact that it's a 1943 is enough evidence of it being steel.
As for the proof it could be "impaired". Once a proof is removed from mint packaging, and has circulated, it is now impaired and the value is pretty much face. Mint mark seems OK, the photo is not crisp, the S looks a little blobby. What kind of holder packaging is it in? There seem to be some different areas of color on the obverse which don't seem consistent with a proof copper cent that has not been tampered with.
I guess I may have been a little preemptive with the "proof" description. I received this penny with a group of coins purchased at auction. I assumed proof because of the "finish" on the coin. In all truth, I guess I'm not sure now if its a proof or not....
