Why did the US make a Steel Penny during WW2?

During World War 2: The US needed to allocate as much copper as possible for the war effort and this included copper used for minting Lincoln Cents at the US Mint. Zinc-coated steel was used as the substitute metal composition and hence the new silver-like coin is known as the wartime steel cent or steel penny.

What year were steel pennies made?

Steel pennies are Lincoln Wheat cents made in 1943. That year, the U.S. Mint made pennies out of steel in order to conserve copper for the war effort in World War II. In 1944 the mint went back to making pennies with the normal copper composition. There are few vintage coins as widely collected as the 1943 steel Lincoln penny.

How much are steel pennies worth?

Most steel pennies are worth between 20 cents and 20 dollars. Prices for 1943 penny error coins, like the 1943-D doubled mintmark variety, can reach several hundred dollars. For the most reliable information on coin values and coin collecting, trust precious metals experts rather than craft and hobby websites. What Are Steel Pennies?