Expert: PAPAJACK - 4/1/2009

Question
I have a 1943 Copper Wheat Penny that has been in my collection since i was about 10 years old, my grandfather had gotten me some coin books with the places to pop the coins in and he always dropped off bags of change to me. Well the one page i have has all 1943 mints and the one is a 1943 Copper Wheat Penny, and i was wondering what the value is, since one of my brothers friends was at my house this week and started in and freaking all out that i had the most value's coin in the world lol.
I just want to know what it is really worth?
Please give me and answere to the best of your knowledge
Thanks, J

Answer
Hello J.,               

I really have to get more information on your piece to help. None of these USA One Cent coins are rare if they are not an error.

I need to know is a Mint Mark Letter below the date? And what color the coin is? Is it the same as the other coins in the collection?

There were reported some 1942 cents that may have been made in steel, and some known 1944 cents that were steel with zinc.
And as you are now learning some well documented 1943 Lincoln Cents that were made in copper.

The coin that is rare and valuable is the “COPPER 1943” Cent. Not the Steel 1943 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 12 pieces were to have been mistakenly 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, '48 and '49 pennies.

Is 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 value of the 1943 zinc/steel One cent ranges from .20 cents for lower grade specimens to about $3.00 in brilliant Uncirculated condition to collectors.

Thank You and Good Luck

PapaJack