Designed by: Victor David Brenner
Issue Date: 1943
Composition: Zinc-coated steel
Diameter: 19 mm
Weight: 2.70 grams (41.67 grains)
Edge: Plain
Business Strike Mintage: 1,093,838,670
Proof Mintage: None

During World War II, copper was seen as a strategic metal, and cents were struck from steel with a zinc coating during 1943. Copper from spent shell casings was used from 1944 through 1946. A few 1943 were struck in copper (in error) as well as a few 1944 cents struck in steel. These are both extremely rare issues and while technically errors, they command very high prices whenever they are offered for sale.

The Lincoln cent series remains popular with collectors and was almost universally the starting set for many of today’s older collectors. Key dates include the aforementioned 1909-S VDB, the 1914-D, the 1922 “Plain” cent, struck in Denver with no trace of the “D” mintmark, the 1931-S, the 1955/55 doubled die, and the 1972 doubled die. There are other “condition rarities” meaning that in low grade they are not particularly costly but in high grade can be both elusive and expensive. Included in this group are many mintmarked issues from the first twenty years of production or so.