The 1943 Lincoln Wheat Penny Valued At $505K – How to Spot One

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Imagine sifting through your loose change and uncovering a penny worth over half a million dollars. This astonishing reality happened when a 1943 bronze Lincoln Wheat Penny, mistakenly struck on copper rather than steel, fetched around $504,000 at auction.

Learn how to spot this ultra‑rare error coin before it slips through your fingers.

Why the 1943 Bronze Penny Is So Valuable

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During World War II, copper and bronze were critically needed for the war effort, so the U.S. Mint shifted to zinc‑coated steel for pennies.

However, a handful of leftover bronze planchets from 1942 accidentally got used in 1943, creating the legendary 1943‑Bronze Lincoln Wheat Penny—one of the rarest and most sought‑after coins in American numismatics .

Estimates suggest only about 6 bronze pennies from the San Francisco mint (1943‑S) have been verified, with a few additional examples from Denver and Philadelphia—only around 10–15 total known specimens .

Auction Records & Rarity Highlights

Year / VariantMint MarkKnown EstimateNotable Price (Approx.)
1943‑S Bronze (MS63)S~6 known$504,000
1943‑D BronzeD1 known$1.7 million
1943‑P Bronze (Philadelphia)NoneSeveral$372,000
Additional Bronze SpecimensP, D, S~10–15 totalVaried
  • The finest 1943‑S bronze penny (graded MS63 Brown) brought in about $504,000 at auction .
  • A single 1943‑D bronze penny sold for approximately $1.7 million—the top‑priced Lincoln cent ever recorded .
  • A Philadelphia‑mint bronze example fetched around $372,000 .

How to Spot a Genuine 1943 Bronze Penny

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If you suspect you’ve found one, here’s how to tell whether you’re holding a $1 or a potential fortune:

1. Magnet Test

  • Steel pennies stick to a magnet; genuine bronze ones do not .

2. Weight Check

  • A genuine bronze cent weighs approximately 3.11 g, while steel ones weigh about 2.702 g.
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3. Color & Strike Quality

  • Bronze shows a reddish‑brown hue, in contrast to the silver‑gray of steel.
  • Authentic bronze examples have exceptionally sharp details due to being struck with the same dies and pressure as steel cents .

4. Mint Mark and Authenticity

  • Look below the date for mint marks (“S” or “D”); Philadelphia coins have no mint mark.
  • Beware of altered or plated counterfeits—magnetism, weight, and fine details are key tests; but professional grading by PCGS or NGC offers definitive authentication .

The 1943 bronze Lincoln Wheat Penny remains one of the most thrilling coin-collecting legends—worth anywhere from hundreds of thousands to over a million dollars when authenticated.

If your pocket change includes a 1943 penny that doesn’t stick to a magnet, weighs around 3.11 g, and shows reddish copper color, you might just be holding a treasure.

Handle it carefully, get it graded professionally, and you could be closer than you think to uncovering a numismatic jackpot.

FAQs

How many 1943 bronze pennies are known to exist?

Estimates vary, but generally about 10–15 total examples are known: roughly 6 from San Francisco, plus a few from Denver and Philadelphia mints

Can I test my penny at home to verify its authenticity?

Yes—start with a magnet (bronze doesn’t stick), precision scale for weight, and visual inspection. But for certainty, submit it to PCGS or NGC professionals

What makes a 1943 bronze penny worth hundreds of thousands of dollars?

It’s the wartime production error, the extreme rarity, collector demand, and historical novelty that drive its astronomical auction values