Steel Pennies?

[surfin]

I mentioned my new hobby to some relatives and they giving me 5 cans of old coins. In the can it is believed that back in the 40' my granmother in law had a bunch of steel pennies. I have never heard of them.

Are they valuable. I imagine they have been in these cans since the 40's.

Does anyone have an idea on them? I dont actually take reciept of them for a couple of months.

Ian

 

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[idahotokens]

During WWII the war effort needed all the copper it could get, so the cents for 1943 were made of zinc-coated steel. They are worth somewhat of a premium, but not much. The problem is that the zinc coating wore through quickly and the steel rusted.
John in ID

 

[davest]

what idaho said and we'll be gettin our own steel pennies soon since we no longer can afford to make the copper clad ones (what happened?)