1943 Copper Penny Error Value & Price Guide (2026)

Coins

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It wasn't supposed to exist. In 1943, every penny was supposed to be steel - the war needed copper for bullets. But somewhere in the chaos of wartime production, a handful of copper blanks got stuck in the presses. The result: about 20 to 30 bronze pennies that should never have been made. Today, a single 1943 copper penny can sell for more than a house. The record? $372,000 - and climbing.

Quick Value Summary


Item	1943 Copper/Bronze Lincoln Penny (Error)
Year	1943
Category	Coins - U.S. Error Cents
Composition	95% copper, 5% tin and zinc (standard bronze)
Weight	3.11 grams
Diameter	19mm
Mints	Philadelphia (no mark), Denver (D), San Francisco (S)
Estimated Survivors	20–30 across all mints
Condition Range
Low Grade (AG to Good)	$60,000 – $100,000
Fine to Very Fine	$100,000 – $252,500
About Uncirculated (AU-55)	~$329,000
Mint State (MS-62)	~$372,000
Record Sale	$372,000 (MS-62 Brown, PCGS)
Rarity	Extremely Rare

The Story

The year was 1943. America was deep in World War II, and every scrap of copper mattered. The U.S. Mint made a historic decision: for one year only, pennies would be struck on zinc-coated steel planchets instead of the traditional bronze.

All three mints - Philadelphia, Denver, and San Francisco - switched over. More than a billion steel pennies rolled off the presses. But changeovers aren't clean. Copper planchets from 1942 production lingered in the hoppers, mixed among the steel blanks. Nobody noticed. The presses didn't care. They stamped whatever went in.

Somewhere between 20 and 30 bronze 1943 pennies slipped through. They entered circulation looking completely normal - same design, same size, just the "wrong" metal. For decades, most went unnoticed. Then collectors started finding them. And the numismatic world lost its mind.

The 1943 copper penny became the ultimate treasure-hunt coin. Every American who's ever checked their change jar has looked for one. The odds of finding one are astronomically small - but the payoff is life-changing.

How to Identify It

What You're Looking For

A 1943 penny that looks like a regular copper penny - not the silver-gray steel cent everyone else got that year.

Color: Copper-brown, like a normal penny. Not silver-gray.
Weight: 3.11 grams. This is the critical test. Steel pennies weigh 2.70 grams.
Magnet test: A genuine 1943 copper penny does NOT stick to a magnet. If it sticks, it's a copper-plated steel cent - worth nothing extra.

The Three-Step Authentication

Magnet first. Hold a magnet to the coin. If it sticks, stop. It's steel with a copper coating. Someone plated it as a novelty or to deceive.
Weigh it. Use a scale accurate to 0.1 grams. You need 3.1 grams, not 2.7 grams.
Examine the date. Many fakes are 1948 pennies with the "8" reshaped into a "3." Look for tool marks, inconsistent digit spacing, or a slightly different style on the last digit.

If your coin passes all three tests - doesn't stick to a magnet, weighs 3.1 grams, and has a clean, unaltered date - stop touching it. Put it in a safe place and contact PCGS or NGC immediately.

Mint Marks

Check below the date on the obverse:

No letter = Philadelphia
D = Denver (extremely rare - only a few known)
S = San Francisco (extremely rare - only a few known)

The Denver and San Francisco versions are even rarer than Philadelphia, and some experts debate whether certain examples are genuine.

Value by Condition

The 1943 copper penny is valuable in any condition. Even heavily worn examples command five figures.

Grade	Estimated Value
AG-3 to G-4 (About Good to Good)	$60,000 – $100,000
F-12 to VF-20 (Fine to Very Fine)	$100,000 – $252,500
EF-40 (Extremely Fine)	$150,000 – $252,500
AU-55 (About Uncirculated)	~$329,000
MS-62 Brown (Mint State)	~$372,000

A PCGS AU-55 sold for $329,000 at Legend Rare Coin Auctions. A PCGS MS-62 Brown has been valued at approximately $372,000. Every time one appears at auction, prices seem to climb higher.

Why such a wide range? With so few coins in existence, each sale is essentially unique. The mint, the condition, the provenance, and even the current collector demand all play into the final price. There's no "market" in the traditional sense - there are individual events.

Known Variations

Philadelphia (No Mint Mark)

The most "common" of the three - though calling any 1943 copper penny common is absurd. About 10–15 are believed to exist from Philadelphia.

Denver (D)

Only one confirmed 1943-D copper penny is widely accepted by major grading services. It's one of the rarest coins in American numismatics.

San Francisco (S)

A small number of 1943-S copper pennies are known. Each one is a major numismatic event when it appears.

Authentication & Fakes

This is the most counterfeited coin in America. For every genuine 1943 copper penny, there are thousands of fakes. Here's what to watch for.

The Most Common Fakes

Copper-plated steel cents. Take a regular 1943 steel penny, plate it with copper. Looks right, but the magnet test catches it instantly. This is the #1 fake.

Altered 1948 pennies. The "8" in 1948 gets filed or reshaped to look like a "3." Under magnification, the tool marks are usually obvious. The spacing between digits will look slightly off.

Cast copies. Crudely made reproductions with mushy details, incorrect weight, and sometimes visible seam lines on the edge.

How to Protect Yourself

Magnet test. Always first. Non-negotiable.
Weigh it. 3.11g = bronze. 2.70g = steel. Period.
10x magnification on the date. Look for file marks or inconsistencies on the "3."
Professional grading is mandatory. Never buy or sell a 1943 copper penny without PCGS or NGC authentication. The grading fee ($50–$150) is nothing compared to the stakes.

Be extremely skeptical. The vast majority of "1943 copper pennies" people find are fakes. But the real ones exist - and they're worth a fortune.

Where to Sell

If you have a genuine, authenticated 1943 copper penny:

Heritage Auctions - The premier venue for major U.S. coin errors. Their reach and buyer pool are unmatched for coins at this price level.
Stack's Bowers - Another top-tier auction house with strong results for error coins.
Legend Rare Coin Auctions - Handles high-end rarities and has sold 1943 copper pennies before.

Do not sell on eBay. Do not sell to a local coin shop. A coin worth six figures needs a major auction house with international reach.

Before selling: Get it authenticated and graded by PCGS or NGC. A raw (ungraded) coin sells for a fraction of its slabbed value - if it sells at all. Serious buyers won't touch an ungraded 1943 copper penny.

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Common Questions

How rare is the 1943 copper penny?

Extremely rare. Only about 20 to 30 are believed to exist across all three mints (Philadelphia, Denver, San Francisco). It's one of the rarest U.S. coins in existence.

How much is a 1943 copper penny worth?

Depending on condition, $60,000 to $372,000 or more. Even heavily worn examples sell for five figures. The highest confirmed sale is around $372,000 for an MS-62 Brown example.

I think I found a 1943 copper penny. What do I do?

Three steps: (1) Magnet test - if it sticks, it's copper-plated steel, not a genuine error. (2) Weigh it - it must weigh 3.11 grams, not 2.70 grams. (3) If it passes both tests and the date looks unaltered, stop handling it and contact PCGS or NGC for professional authentication.

Why do so many fake 1943 copper pennies exist?

Because the real ones are worth a fortune, and the fakes are easy to make. Copper-plating a steel penny takes minutes. Filing a "1948" into "1943" takes a few seconds. The combination of high value and easy counterfeiting makes this the most faked coin in America.

Is the 1943-D copper penny real?

Only one 1943-D copper penny is widely accepted as genuine by major grading services. It's among the rarest coins in American numismatics. If someone claims to have another, extreme skepticism is warranted.