So everyone knows the history and back stories about the 1943 penny.
Well this caught me off guard this week. When I was a kid in the late 70s I purchased a 1943 penny. It was stored since I purchased it in a folder in my closet. Years after I purchased it I read the stories of the rare copper 1943. I knew I had one so I pulled it out and put a magnet to it and sure enough, fake. What makes the story strange is I pulled it out this week and looked at it closely by the window in the sunlight. It had a very fast reaction. When it was brought into the sunlight within seconds in front of me the copper coating that was on it for decades started to disappear. It literally changed in front of me from copper to steel. I snapped this picture quickly as it was transforming. The back which didn't face the sunlight held its copper coating. I looked up this reaction and couldn't find anything but strangely I learned that even though when they left the mint they were coated with zinc. coin dealers coated 1943 steels with zinc to make them stand out. Apparently it was looked upon as being deceptive. Well wouldn't you know it the coin dealer from the 70s not only sold me a copper covered steel but also all three steels coated with zinc.
Well this caught me off guard this week. When I was a kid in the late 70s I purchased a 1943 penny. It was stored since I purchased it in a folder in my closet. Years after I purchased it I read the stories of the rare copper 1943. I knew I had one so I pulled it out and put a magnet to it and sure enough, fake. What makes the story strange is I pulled it out this week and looked at it closely by the window in the sunlight. It had a very fast reaction. When it was brought into the sunlight within seconds in front of me the copper coating that was on it for decades started to disappear. It literally changed in front of me from copper to steel. I snapped this picture quickly as it was transforming. The back which didn't face the sunlight held its copper coating. I looked up this reaction and couldn't find anything but strangely I learned that even though when they left the mint they were coated with zinc. coin dealers coated 1943 steels with zinc to make them stand out. Apparently it was looked upon as being deceptive. Well wouldn't you know it the coin dealer from the 70s not only sold me a copper covered steel but also all three steels coated with zinc.
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