This was found in pocket change. Does this look like a close am configuration. Some are difficult to tell and others just seem to be very noticeable as not being the close am. Regardless its a good looking penny. Any input would be great.
What Meow would do in this situation, is to find an example of CAM and WAM in common pennies of the same era. And once you have something to compare it to, it makes it easier to distinguish the two from each other.
It's the regular wide AM but there's some flattening at the bottom of the letters making it appear closer than it is. Not sure why there is flattening but that's where the confusion comes from. The "FG" is too close to the building to be the close AM reverse. And if it were the close AM the A and the M would be so close they appear to touch and just be a tiny gap between the tow and a much larger gap between the M and the E. When in doubt, check the FG, it won't steer you wrong.
Thank you for the clarifying information and the supporting images. This entire response was perfect. We that are new to the realm can benefit a great deal with information layed out just like this. Very much simple, cut and dry. Thanks
Now I have one that may be a little more challenging. At least for me. I have a 194? S Copper penny found in a coin roll. The last digit is very difficult to grasp what it is but it appears to be a 3. Should I start another post or continue on this one.
100% guarantee that it isn't a 1943 but go ahead an make a new thread about it if you have questions. It's better to keep each coin question to its own thread.
I will post a new thread. Just for the record! I learned nothing about my 194? S penny from a response that ends with 100% guarantied not be a 1943 but go a head and start a new post. 1. If its not a 1943 I don't want to waist any ones Tim on this. 2. You say its not a 1943 with out seeing it. 3. You did not give any reason why you say that its not. It would have been nice to have had a little information to support your response. I don't want to waist any ones time and my own as well. A simple straight up its not a 1943 and why its not would have ended my quest with this coin and would have learned more as to what I should be looking for. At this rate I may become an experienced coin collector by the year 2090.
Here is an article from NGC talking about the 1943 copper cent. Notice the part where it says "fewer than 2 dozen are known to exist" https://www.ngccoin.com/news/article/7207/1943-bronze-cent/ 1. If you have a question, ask it. We like helping people here and answering their questions. Everyone (well, mostly) is here to learn/teach. 2. I pretty much don't need to see it to know that it is not a 1943. See the article above. 3. Again, refer to the article above. These things are easily found on your own with a few google searches. I'm not saying you can't and shouldn't ask questions here...but do yourself a favor and try to find out about what you think you have and learn about the ways to confirm/deny your thoughts besides just asking questions here. That way you will learn more before 2090 On the topic of searching/learning, use the search function here on the forums to find other threads related to the question you have. If you search 1943 copper cent, you will find countless threads with people asking the same question you have. I'm not trying to be rude. I, and others here, more than happy to help. We would really like people to do a little research on their own first though.
Here is an article that is similar to what I seen months ago. I also recall that the number 3 is is unique to this year. And the latest sell of the 1943s copper cent was to one of the owners of the Texas rangers for over $1m. If I recall. If this is not accurate information then one can point fingers at the internet. More over I believe the article you posted depicts only the 1943p copper and the article I just posted below depicts the 1943s copper and are Independent from one other. Sorry I could not post the link for some reason. Famous Coins 1943 S Copper Penny Rare Coin News May 17, 1998 Rare Coin Articles Monaco Rare Coins There are a number of different variations in the US Lincoln head penny over the years. Before World War II the penny was made consistently with copper and other alloy metal, including bronze alloy. But during World War II the need for copper was high for the use in ammunition, and other areas for the war effort. The U.S. Mint tried different metals to try and substitute for copper in the penny. They tried plastic, they tried steel variations, including galvanized metals, but each thing that they tried didn’t work out. They finally worked to use steel for a while during the war, and after World War II they eventually returned to the composition including copper that was used before the war. But during the War, in 1943 there were a few pennies that made it into circulation that were actually copper, during the time when the pennies were made from steel. An estimated 40 pennies were believed to have been produced, with 12 that are known positively to be in existence. They are extremely rare and they are believed to have been made by accident, such as copper left in the machine when it was changing over from copper to steel. They are so rare that in 1958 a single known Copper 1943 S (for San Francisco, the mint where these rare pennies were produced) sold for an amazing $40,000 dollars. That was in 1958, over fifty years ago. In 2004 another one of these pennies sold for $200,000 dollars. These are coins that people have tried to counterfeit over the years, but there are several methods that can be used to tell if they are not real. The 1943 Copper S penny is one of the most rare coins in circulation in the United States. There are 12 that are known, with an additional 28 that may exist, but no one knows for sure, the number of 40 is an estimation based on the theory of how they were accidently produced. May 17, 1998 Rare Coin Articles Monaco Rare Coins
No it isn't, the same style was used in 1953 as well. It IS different from the 3's used before 1943, and its dropping tail is different than the bottom of the 5 in 45. That dropping tail makes it fairly easy to spot altered 45's and 48's. I don't remember when they started using the dropping tail 5's, I know they were using them by 1955 but I'm not sure if they used it earlier.
