This 1-Cent Coin is Worth Over €450,000

The Rare 1943 Penny: A Numismatic Treasure

A 1-cent coin, if minted in a specific year, can be worth over 450,000 euros.
If crafted from a unique material, its value skyrockets even further.

The allure of this penny dates back 80 years and continues to earn six-figure sums for lucky owners who decide to sell it at auction.

This rare coin is the 1943 United States penny.

The Worth of the 1943 Lincoln Penny

The 1943-S bronze Lincoln penny is one of the most captivating specimens in American numismatic history, with its value reaching up to 504,000 dollars, equivalent to more than 450,000 euros.

Renowned for its rarity and the intriguing story behind its discovery, this coin is highly sought after among collectors.

The coin in question features a well-known minting error.

The Backstory of the 1943 Penny

During World War II, copper became a critical resource for ammunition and communication equipment.

Consequently, in 1943, the U.S.
Treasury ordered the Mint to produce pennies using zinc-coated steel blanks instead of traditional bronze.

The three active U.S.
Mints at the time collectively minted over a billion steel pennies that year.

However, some bronze blanks intended for the 1942 production inadvertently mixed with the steel ones, leading to the minting of a few coins in bronze in 1943.

The Rarest Variants

Among these, the 1943-D penny (Denver) is the rarest, with only one known specimen ever sold for 1.7 million dollars at an auction in 2010.

It’s estimated that fewer than 20 Lincoln cents were mistakenly minted in bronze at the Philadelphia and San Francisco Mints in 1943.

A bronze Lincoln penny from Philadelphia (without mint mark) averages around $141,198, with top specimens fetching up to $399,635 if in mint condition.

Value of Other Rare Variants

The 1943-S penny averages about $246,227, reaching a maximum of 1 million dollars, a price achieved when a specimen was sold at auction in 2012.

For more insights, check out 10 Rare Coins That Are Worth Over €1,000,000 and Rare 20-Cent Euro Coins That Are Worth More.