1943 steel penny value: how much a 1943 penny is worth
1943 steel penny value by mint mark and condition, the magnet and weight tests, the 1943-D/D repunched mint mark, and how to spot a fake 1943 copper cent.
| Mintage | Philadelphia (no mint mark) 684,628,670 · Denver (D) 217,660,000 · San Francisco (S) 191,550,000 |
|---|---|
| Composition | Low-grade steel with a thin zinc coating (the one-year wartime issue); the error coins are 95% copper bronze |
| Weight | 2.70 g (steel) · 3.11 g (copper error) |
| Diameter | 19.05 mm |
| Designer | Victor David Brenner (obverse and wheat reverse) |
| Mint mark | Below the date on the obverse; none for Philadelphia |
| Edge | Plain |
1943 penny value chart
| Coin | Circulated | Uncirculated | Top grades / record |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1943, 1943-D and 1943-S steel (priced alike) | $0.10 – $0.50 (worn to Very Fine); $0.50 – $5 (EF to AU) | $1 – $5 (MS-60 to MS-63); $5 – $50 (MS-64 to MS-66) | $100 – $1,000+ in MS-67 and above |
| 1943-D/D repunched mint mark | $100+ (EF-40) | $400+ (MS-63) | An MS-67 sold for $12,000 (Heritage, Nov 2023) |
| 1943 copper (bronze) cent — error | $141,000 – $456,000 at auction (2013–2026) | $348,000 (MS-62) – $840,000 (the 1943-D, MS-64) | Record: $1.7 million for the unique 1943-D (private sale, 2010) |
Source: Gainesville Coins 1943 steel penny price guide (updated 9 Jun 2025) for the steel cents and the 1943-D/D; Coin World (8 Mar 2024) for the D/D sale; PCGS CoinFacts auction records, CoinNews (Sep 2010) and CoinWeek (Mar 2026) for the bronze cents. Values checked on 2026-10-29. Values are reference ranges for typical examples, from published price guides and recent sales, and are not an offer to buy. Rare varieties and high grades need authentication before you trust a price.
How to check yours
- Magnet test. A real 1943 steel cent sticks to a magnet. A coin that does not stick is either a copper cent (very rare) or a 1943 steel cent plated in copper (common novelty, worth nothing).
- Weigh it. Steel cents weigh 2.70 g; a genuine bronze cent weighs 3.11 g. A copper-plated steel cent still weighs about 2.7 g and still sticks to the magnet.
- Look at the 3. Copper fakes are often other dates, such as 1948, recut to read 1943. PCGS's test: the 3 must match the font of this steel cent exactly, and the designer's initials VDB must sit on the truncation of the bust.
- Check the D under magnification. On the 1943-D/D variety a second D shows to the lower left (southwest) of the main mint mark.
- Do not clean it. Steel cents rust and dull, and a polished or re-plated coin loses its collector value. Any 1943 cent that passes the magnet and weight test for copper should go to PCGS or NGC before you tell anyone.
The 1943 cent is the one coin almost everyone has heard a story about, and the story is usually about the wrong coin. The steel cent in the drawer is common; the copper cent in the headline is one of about two dozen. This page gives the values for both, the mint-mark variety in between, and the tests that settle which one you have.
Values checked on 29 October 2026 against the sources named under the chart.
- MagnetSticks → steel cent (common)
- Scale3.11 g and no stick → copper candidate
- LoupeSecond D under the mint mark → 1943-D/D
- Grading serviceOnly for copper candidates and gems
The steel cent is common, so condition is everything
Over 1.09 billion 1943 cents were struck across Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco, which is why a worn example is worth a dime or a quarter rather than a dollar. The zinc coating dulls and spots with handling, so the premium goes to coins that kept their bright, untouched surface: $1 to $5 for an ordinary uncirculated coin, $5 to $50 for a gem, and three or four figures only for the handful certified MS-67 and above. The Gainesville guide prices the three mints alike.
Avoid “reprocessed” steel cents: worn coins re-plated with zinc to look new. Numismatic News notes that an original steel cent shows the flow lines of a struck coin; a re-plated one has an even shine without them. Treat a suspiciously bright, flat-looking 1943 as reprocessed.
The 1943-D/D repunched mint mark
The only steel-cent variety with a real following is the Denver coin whose D was punched twice. Under a loupe a second D shows to the lower left (southwest) of the main mint mark. The Gainesville guide puts it at $100 or more in Extremely Fine and $400 or more in MS-63, with 3,000 to 5,000 pieces estimated to survive, and a PCGS MS-67 sold for $12,000 at Heritage in November 2023, so it is scarce rather than impossible: worth checking every 1943-D you come across. Compare it with the 1944-D/S overpunched mint mark, the following year’s equivalent.
The 1943 copper cent: what it is and what it is not
A few bronze blanks left in the presses from 1942 were struck with 1943 dies, at all three mints. Roughly two dozen are known, auction results since 2013 run from $141,000 to $456,000 for circulated coins, and the record is $1.7 million, paid privately in 2010 for the only 1943-D. That reward has produced far more fakes than genuine coins: copper-plated steel cents sold as novelties, and bronze cents of other years with the date recut. The 1943 copper penny page covers the diagnostics in detail; the short version is the magnet, the scale and the shape of the 3 under the checklist above.
Grading a 1943 steel cent
| Grade | What it looks like | Typical value |
|---|---|---|
| Good – Fine | Worn, dull grey, rust spots common | $0.10 – $0.25 |
| Extremely Fine | Light wear on Lincoln’s cheek and the wheat lines, some lustre | $0.50 – $2 |
| About Uncirculated | Trace of wear, mostly bright | $1 – $5 |
| MS-60 – MS-63 | No wear, some spots or marks | $1 – $5 |
| MS-64 – MS-66 | Bright zinc, few marks | $5 – $50 |
| MS-67+ | Flawless, fully bright; certified only | $100 – $1,000+ |
Photograph both sides and the coin identifier reads the date and mint mark and gives an estimated grade and value; for a copper candidate, run the magnet and weight tests first. New to mint marks? Start with how to identify a coin. If you are sorting a jar, the rare pennies list covers the other dates worth pulling out, and the wheat penny series guide puts 1943 in context.
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Frequently asked questions
How much is a 1943 steel penny worth today?
Most 1943 steel pennies are worth 10 to 25 cents in worn condition and $1 to $5 uncirculated, because over a billion were made. Gem examples with full bright zinc bring $5 to $50, and the finest certified pieces several hundred dollars. The valuable ones are the 1943-D/D repunched mint mark and the copper error.
How do I know if my 1943 penny is copper?
Hold a magnet to it. Steel sticks; copper does not. Then weigh it: a genuine 1943 bronze cent weighs 3.11 grams, a steel cent 2.70 grams. A coin that fails the magnet test but weighs 2.7 g is a steel cent with copper plating, which is worthless. Only about two dozen genuine copper cents are known, so have any candidate authenticated by PCGS or NGC.
Why are 1943 pennies made of steel?
Copper was needed for shell casings and wiring in 1943, so the US Mint struck that year's cents on zinc-coated steel blanks. The coins rusted and were easily mistaken for dimes, so copper returned in 1944 as a brass alloy of 95% copper and 5% zinc; the steel cent was a one-year issue.
What is the 1943-D/D penny?
A Denver cent whose mint mark was punched into the die twice, leaving a second D outline under the main one. It is the only widely collected variety of the steel cents, worth about $100 in Extremely Fine and $400 or more in MS-63, with an estimated 3,000 to 5,000 surviving. The second D sits to the lower left of the main one.
Is a 1943 silver penny the same as a steel penny?
Yes. People call the 1943 cent a silver penny because of its grey colour, but it contains no silver: it is steel with a zinc coating. A magnet confirms it.
Should I get a 1943 penny graded?
Only if it is a copper cent candidate that passes the magnet and weight tests, a 1943-D/D, or a flawless uncirculated steel cent you believe is MS-67 or better. Grading costs more than a common steel cent is worth.