1943 Steel Cents

Can anyone tell me what a 1943 cent looks like Uncirculated with Mint Luster. Would a new Stainless Steel Pot be a good comparison for Color?

How can you tell the ones which were "wizzed", or did that happen to the circulating one cent coins? I know about the alleged 1944 Steel Cent.

I am looking at a collection from a friend. Thanks!

 

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just guessing

The finish I recall was more like a prime new zinc washer fresh from the hardware store.

Not like stainless at all, but rather dullish but still had the elusive "luster" of newness.

I no longer can confirm the true sheen since all I see these days are coins that seem to been "fixed".

 

It would be pretty close to the COLOR of a SS pot. If the coin has been whizzed, there will be marks on the coin. It is done with a high speed brush, so you will be able to see the marks left. They may well be out there, but I have never seen a steel cent whizzed. More typically, they are recoated. Since the original and the recoated are both zinc plated, they are both the same color. However, the original will have luster (i.e. a cartwheel type reflection) while the recoated will have a more uniform shine. I am not sure just what you are planning to spend, but you can pick up a certified coin for about $20 (MS 66). That way you will be sure you are getting the real thing.

Here are some pictures of the real thing.

 

Thanks for the photos's Rim.

It's been awhile since I could trust what an original looked like.

 

Here's my slabbed 1943 cent.
Note that there is hourglass reflectivity BUT the surfaces have a flat luster.
The only proof-like surfaces I've ever seen were from reprocessed (recoated) cents.

 

Here's my PCGS MS67, sort of a dark pic though, might need to try to re-shoot it one of these days:

 

wow

You guys make it all look like the morning before Prom night was over.

Wonderful photos tho!:thumb:

I once had two mint rolls (a neighbor paid me $1.00 for mowing her lawn~ with a check......that dates it!)

And I went to the bank and got the two rolls, mint wrapped, all 1943's, by request. Stupid small town bank never had SF's, but I kept askin".

None were as pretty as the photos here.

Didn't mean I didn't respect them. Even the next morning!

 

While it's true they have a mint luster, many seem to remind me of a finish closer to the 1936 Proofs..Satin and Brilliant finishes.

 

Thanks!

Lots of info there. Wizzed was a misnomer in this case. I meant replated. There are bubbles (for lack of a better word) on the surface. This forum seems to be where the experts reside who are still willing to share their knowledge and photos no less.

Again, thank you!

 

Yes you have to really watch for those recoated, replated, etc ones. Not sure why anyone would ever spend the time and money to replate a cent but there are a lot of them out there. The problem with your comparison is there are numerous states of Stainless Steel. It's difficult to use a Stainless Steel pot for comparison since there are virtually hundreds of grades of Stainless Steel. Most have numbers such as the famous 440 on many Surgical instruments. Stainless Steel can be as bright and shinny as a proof coin or as dull as Lead pending on the method of finishing and the amount of different elements in it's composition. And many of higher grades are non magnetic in spite of the Iron content.
Meanwhile those 1943 Cents have been recoated with Zinc, Tin, Chrome, Copper and even Lead. The Lead ones have a great luster for a really short time. The Zinc recoats look fantastically like the originals and the glossyness too is similar to Uncirculated ones. Those are the ones that are really difficult to tell from the originals except if they show wear and are new looking.
Those are one of my favorite coins. I presently have 2,650 of them. I'm trying to accumulate a complete roll of the Chrome plated ones but those are not as common. I do have an almost completed roll of the Zinc replated ones, only 3 of the Copper plated, one of the Lead coated ones and only two of the Tinned ones. The Copper plated ones used to be really common but not so much lately.
And you would notice even from the photos so far shown a the slight difference in the toned quality of each. With most of mine I've found a difference in appearance from the Phily, Denver and San Fran ones.
Hopefully I will find many more variations in those.

 

Does this steel cent look plated? I got it from one of those WWII Lincoln series plastic deals.





thanks!

JAC

 

Only one word comes to mind, Wow!!!

 

I got one of those with luster.



Everytime I bid on an MS68, the price goes through the roof. There is actually a collector on the NGC forum who has a rainbow toned steelie, cool as the other side of the pillow.

 

That is really cool. I would love to see a picture of that coin!

 

Yes, but it is kind of hard to tell from a picture.

 

The ebay photo looked a lot liked this one. The steelies have this same silver brightness:

 

I love the look on the Steel cents.. Do you think they're ever going to be worth anything though?

 

Some "nice" certified ones have sold for $1000+. Does that qualify as "worth anything"?

Oh, and technically the most expensive Lincoln ever sold was one, but it was dated 1944-S - $373,750.00.

 

Is that worth slabbing? i have a bunch in UNC or AU cond and have never thought of slabbing them! Perhaps I will.

 

AU - not a prayer. Uncirculated - not really. Even MS-66's will not pay for what it costs most people to slab them. PCGS might get you $40 for a 43-S MS-66. Even 67's are not really that much, but at least they would pay you to slab them.