1943 Steel "War Time" Wheat Penny 4 coin lot – Darker toned Steel Wheat Pennies

YOU GET 4 TOTAL ITEMS:
(4) 1943 Lincoln Steel Wheat Pennies (Average Circulation and random Mints)
.
These Steel Wheat pennies have a darker tone for those who enjoy a more aged, authentic look.
The pennies will be similar in quality to the ones pictured!
History of Steel Wheat Penny:
The 1943 silver colored penny is a wartime coin issue made of steel and coated with zinc.
During World War II, the war effort required a lot of copper to make shell casings and munitions. In 1943 the penny was made out of zinc plated steel to save copper for the war effort which is why most 1943 pennies are silver colored.
Metal was not the only commodity that was critical to the war effort. American citizens were asked to conserve food such as sugar, meat, cooking oil, and canned goods. Critical goods were ration to American citizens using coupon books issued by the government. Most critical of all was gasoline.
To help the war effort by eliminating copper from U.S. pennies, the United States Mint came up with a new metallic composition for the one cent piece. They decided on using steel for the base metal and plating it with pure zinc. Unfortunately, zinc oxidizes over time and turns into a dull and dark gray color.
Moisture came in contact with the coins as they circulated in commerce. The moisture caused the zinc coating to turn to an ugly blackish color. As the zinc coating wore off the steel core the exposed steel underneath began to rust.