May be real, but if its been manipulated in any way it becomes just a gag gift, aka a novelty. What did you expect?
Probably copper plated. Many of the 1943 cents show Die Deterioration Doubling especially on the date.
I found one similar that the plating(I would hardly call it that...more like a cheap coating by some back woods chemist) caused it to appear doubled as it wore down over time.
This is a photo from a page in 1963 NUMISMATIC SCRAPBOOK. It So there are many of these actual steel cent copper plated in US. Jim
It's been plated with copper. Its steel and you proved that with the magnet. Nice to have but only worth a few cents. I have a number of steel Cent sets tjst I bought for $.17 a coin. A local coin dealer sells them 6 for $1.00, plated, rusted, natural or reprocessed.
now thats some old school marketing! "Hey Stupids! Mint says you'll never get one so we can make one for you! So send us a penny and a dollar and we will send you something of zero value but will make you feel special. Tell all your friends you are the chosen one and show them the PROOF! " Is this not preying on a certain type of individual? This just might be the founders of Etsy lol! Its another topic for another section and time but you see "drifters" come through here at times with coins that make you wonder whats really going on behind the scenes in their life. They are looking for justification or something. I feel really sad for some of them knowing their search and their "prize" has nothing at all to do with collecting a coin. Evil people out there taking advantage of that.
It kind of looks like staining to me but could very well be the result of a science experiment (7th grade variety). Also agree on die deterioration. But a common coin just the same. It does look like a CRH find as it sticks out less as a steel cent with its current condition. More likely to go undetected by the average person.
