Expert: PAPAJACK - 10/31/2008

Question
i have a 1943 copper penny that was hidden by my grandmother behind a window sill.  I tried picking it up with very strong magnets it will not budge.  I am interested to know how much it is worth.

Answer
Hello Charles,          

The coin that is RARE is the COPPER 1943 Cent. Not the Steel Cent.

The 1943 copper cent is one of the most sought after items for coin collectors, as all circulating cents at that time were struck in zinc-coated steel because all the copper was needed for the war effort.

Supposedly only 12 pieces were to have been struck by the different Mints by mistake when some copper-alloy 1-cent blanks remained in the bins or hopper when production began on the new steel pennies.

A 1943 copper cent was sold in 1958, bringing more than $40,000. A subsequent piece sold for $10,000 in 1981. The highest amount paid for a 1943 copper cent was over $112,000 in 1999.

Because of its collector value, the 1943 copper cent has been counterfeited by coating steel cents with copper or by altering the dates of 1945, 1948 and the 1949 pennies.

If yours is silver in color; all three Mints made the Zinc Coated Steel one cent coins.
Philadelphia produced 684,628,670 of them.

Denver Mint produced 217,660,000 of them.

San Francisco produced 191,550,000 of them.

The weight of the coin should be checked as well as the magnet test.

Your Coin would have to be seen to be accurately authenticated and appraised. Photographs do not really help with this.

If you write back with your general location like the nearest large cities and some Postal Zip codes in your area, I can direct you to an AMERICAN NUMISMATIC ASSOCIATION MEMBER/DEALER near there. They are ethical and trustworthy.

I hope this information Helps.

Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack