The easiest way to determine if a 1943 cent is made of steel, and not copper, is to use a magnet. If it sticks to the magnet, it is not copper. If it does not stick, the coin might be of copper and should be authenticated by an expert.
When did 2p coins become magnetic?
1992
A similar change to the 1p and 2p coins was made in 1992, with those made before that date non-magnetic bronze, while those made afterwards a magnetic copper-plated steel. The vending machine industry said that this change did not cause any problems because most machine never accepted coppers.
Why are old coins not magnetic?
Since September 1992, however, 1p and 2p coins have been made from copper-plated steel. The change was made because of the increasing price in world markets of base and non-ferrous metals. Copper-plated coins are attracted to magnets because of the iron content of the steel core, whereas bronze coins are not magnetic.
When did they start making magnetic pennies and coins?
Pennies before 1992 were not magnetic. Before 1992 the pennies were made of copper and zinc, which both were non-magnetic, the idea of steel pennies came during World War II, and they started making steel pennies. After 1992, the metals were changed, steel was used to prepare pennies.
Why does a 1943 copper penny have a magnet on it?
More common, though, are those who buy 1943 steel cents and plate them with copper, making them look like the super-valuable one. That’s easy enough to detect — those, unlike true copper pennies, are magnetic after all. So if your magnet picks up a penny, it may be because someone tried to pass off a phony 1943 copper cent.
Which is lighter a copper penny or a Steel Penny?
Steel 1943 pennies weigh just 2.7 grams each, lighter than the copper penny of 3.11 grams. It is also the only US coin to not contain any copper whatsoever. How much is a 1943 Steel Penny worth? Steel pennies are sometimes referred to as a silver penny. However, steel pennies are not actually silver, but steel.
Are there any copper pennies in the US Mint?
Ammunition required so much copper, the US Mint had to find an alternative source for the penny – thus the 1943 steel pennies. The U.S. Mint had denied that copper pennies minted in 1943 existed. You can read a news article from 1960 stating these rare copper cents do not exist.
