1943 Steel Penny
The 1943 steel penny was a variety of the US one-cent coin which was struck in steel due to wartime shortages of copper.
The 1943 penny was made of 100% steel, and was coated with a thin layer of zinc. The steel composition gave this coin it's silver looking surface. It is the only US one-cent coin that will stick to a magnet... all others will not because they are made of a copper and nickel allow.
During World War II, there were huge shortages of copper, which was the main ingredient for shell casings, bullets, bombs and guns for the war effort. The US Government was forced to forgo the copper they typically used for coins until they could find more elsewhere. The copper saved by making pennies out of steel (rather than the traditional copper alloy) was enough to meet the combined needs of "two cruisers, two destroyers, 1242 flying fortresses, 120 field guns and 120 howitzers" or enough for 1 and 1/4 million shells for big field guns.
The coins were made at all three mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. Coins from the latter two sites have respectively "D" and "S" mint marks below the date.
However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for dimes. Magnets in cent vending machines, placed to pick up steel slugs, also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the galvanization process didn't cover the edges of the coins, sweat would quickly rust the metal, turning the coins into a rusty mess. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process where salvaged brass shellcasings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy near the pre-war specifications.
The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet. The steel cent is also the only coin issued by the United States for circulation that does not contain any copper.
So what does this have to do with anything? So many people have asked when I was really born, and now you have your answer... in the Year of the Steel Penny.
The 1943 penny was made of 100% steel, and was coated with a thin layer of zinc. The steel composition gave this coin it's silver looking surface. It is the only US one-cent coin that will stick to a magnet... all others will not because they are made of a copper and nickel allow.
During World War II, there were huge shortages of copper, which was the main ingredient for shell casings, bullets, bombs and guns for the war effort. The US Government was forced to forgo the copper they typically used for coins until they could find more elsewhere. The copper saved by making pennies out of steel (rather than the traditional copper alloy) was enough to meet the combined needs of "two cruisers, two destroyers, 1242 flying fortresses, 120 field guns and 120 howitzers" or enough for 1 and 1/4 million shells for big field guns.
The coins were made at all three mints: Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco. Coins from the latter two sites have respectively "D" and "S" mint marks below the date.
However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for dimes. Magnets in cent vending machines, placed to pick up steel slugs, also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the galvanization process didn't cover the edges of the coins, sweat would quickly rust the metal, turning the coins into a rusty mess. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process where salvaged brass shellcasings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy near the pre-war specifications.
The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet. The steel cent is also the only coin issued by the United States for circulation that does not contain any copper.
So what does this have to do with anything? So many people have asked when I was really born, and now you have your answer... in the Year of the Steel Penny.
Happy Birthday tomorrow John. Is there a place on buzznet that tells the birthdays? There used to be but i can't find it anymore.
A very "Happy Birthday" for you tomorrow John! I hope that you have a marvelous celebratory day! You are liked and respected by many people on Buzznet. But, I bet that you have surmised that, right?
@ pixeltopia- on your Friends page there is a "Birthdate/Birthday" section.
Ooo and happy early birthday! I hope you get smashed with cake tomorrow! ^_^
Happy Birthday to ya
in 1943 was also the discovery of LSD, it was by accident (i know that because i read an article about it a few days ago)