Expert: PAPAJACK - 11/14/2007

Question
hello papajack again. I'm sorry if i didn't specified the grade of the coins. i have a 1943 or 1945 penny and I'm not sure if it has any high value, i hope you can help out telling me how can i find how if my penny is from 1943 or 1945, I'm asking you this because where the number 43 or 45 of the penny is  blurring.
hope you can help me.

andrew

Answer
Hello again Andrew,                                 

It was not the grade of the coin I needed to know it was the denomination you did not say it was a Lincoln Cent in your previous question.
In 1943 the USA made Zinc Plated Steel Cents. The color would easily show this and it would stick to a magnet. This was a one year change except for a few errors.
In 1945 the coin would be Copper Colored as all were.
There is a popular fake that people try to change the last digit of 1945 and 1948 coins to a 3 and trying to sell them as a copper 1943 error cent. You may have one of these or the date was just weakly struck by the coin press.

Both of these dates sell for less than a dollar in collectable circulated condition and if well worn as little as 10 cents.  

They can still be bought in uncirculated condition for around $2 each.

I hope this information is helpful.

Feel free to ask another question about US Coins.

Good Luck

PapaJack