Anyone found a 1943 steel penny?

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JakePhelps

JakePhelps

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Jul 7, 2005
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Massachusetts
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Its actaully pretty easy to aqquire these, most coin stores have them really cheap, even in uncirculated condition. I have some with all three mintmarks on them :)
 

Digginman

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Mar 12, 2005
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Stephens City, Virginia
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When my grandad broke his household up, he had 90 rolls of brilliant, uncirculated 1943 pennies, of mixed mint marks.? He asked a dealer what they were worth, the dealer said a nickel each.? He kept them.? One of the family members walked off with them without permission.? Someone wasted alot of stress for something worth so little.
 

strykerstalker

Jr. Member
Nov 29, 2005
74
1
makes me wish my ex wouldnt have used the rolls we found in her moms garage a few yrs back! her mom collected every one she could get her hands on cause they were her yr of birth, but not to mention she had a suitcase full of rolls of them.. but now there gone, along with the confederate money and silver certs... errr .. and all i got was a lousy 5$ out of it all...
 

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rvbvetter

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I guess that's the way it's supposed to go withh EX's.
Years ago, after my first marraige went pffft. I felt like saying; After all those years and all I got was this lousy T shirt. HH
 

rjnail

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Nov 25, 2005
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found a few back in the 80's, have not found any in long time,,
 

Monty

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Jan 26, 2005
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What's hard for me to comprehend is that when I was a kid, Buff nickels and Mercury dimes were common pocket change! Where did the time go? Monty
 

bk

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Jan 19, 2005
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SE Minnesota
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I found this one in 1981. I don't know why it isn't all rust like the others I have found. Must have been some good soil conditions.
 

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rvbvetter

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Was it in a stack? I once dug a stack of wheats, and because of it, the inside ones still had some luster from the mint. No steel ones were there though. HH
 

bk

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Jan 19, 2005
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rvbvetter said:
? ?Was it in a stack?? ? ?I once dug a stack of wheats, and because of it, the inside ones still had some luster from the mint.? No steel ones were there though.? ? HH

No, not that I recall. I know what you mean though. It must have been in neutral soil. It isn't copper because it is magnetic.
 

thumper

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Nov 25, 2005
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clifton forge virginia
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I,ve been MD'ing for about a yr or so......i have found 4 so far..here is a pic
 

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Sandman

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Aug 6, 2005
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I found a few when I first started and haven't found any in a while. Makes me wonder how many I spent on bubble gum for the trading cards while I was a mere child.
 

lucky1777

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Aug 2, 2005
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Illinois
I have found them in rusted and good condition. I think it depends on the soil condition and how long they have been in the ground.
 

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brz

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I found one just a couple of days ago, the zinc was in bad shape but the date was readable, overall the coin is in bad shape, would be nice to see one in good condition
 

diggummup

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Jul 15, 2004
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I found one last year at a local park.It was at the bottom of the slide ,so I think some kid lost it.The park is not old, so I know it wasn't there too long.Other than that ,i've got a few back in my change over the years.
 

JW

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Apr 8, 2005
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I found one last month in a hole with 6 other wheats. It is rusted beyond id so since it was with other wheats and the same size.....

Never thought I would find one since I tend to pass up iron...

HH

JW
 

warthog steve

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Mar 23, 2003
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Brown City,Michigan
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8)Yeah-I have found a couple myself-at the beach club I always go to down near Detroit every September-Been in use since the turn of century.... 8)
 

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mchamby

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I found a steel 1943 wheatie in my last bunch of pennies I rolled for a friend. I didn't realize what it was till I read this thread. It's in pretty good shape, not shiney though.
Mchamby
 

ranger11

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Mar 3, 2013
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I know this is from 05 but I would like to say yes, I did find one and it was in the same hole with a 1916 dime about 4"under a tree root, and in good condition!
 

olfacere

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Feb 22, 2013
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As far as I'm aware, most pennies made in 1943 were steel because of the war effort. They only made a few of the 1943 runs out of copper. The copper ones are worth way more because they are less numerous. As a sidenote, my grandfather, years ago, bought five 1943 steel pennies that were sealed in an "air-tight" container that was apparently not a real oxygen barrier. They corrode like zinc. So, I guess they must be zinc-plated steel?
 

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