Newly Authenticated 1943 Bronze Cent

U.S. Coins and Jewelry has acquired a 1943 bronze Lincoln cent that a Texas family held unverified for more than 60 years. One of an estimated 20 known to exist, the coin has been graded Extremely Fine (XF)-40 by Professional Coin Grading Service (PCGS). The highly sought piece is valued at $235,000. 

During World War II, in an effort to conserve copper for the war effort, more than a billion 1943 cents were struck in steel, but a few old copper blanks remained in the presses and were struck with the 1943 date. The result is one of the best-known rarities in American numismatics. “The 1943 bronze cent is one of the most frequently submitted and most widely misidentified coins we see,” says PCGS President Stephanie Sabin. “The overwhelming majority turn out to be common steel cents or copper-plated counterfeits. Confirming a genuine example, as we did with the XF-40 specimen, is rare.” 

The family purchased the coin from a collector in the early 1960s. They recently brought it to professional appraiser Alvin Stern, who worked with them to get it certified. Stern then offered the 1943 bronze cent for sale to U.S. Coins and Jewelry, and co-owner Kenny Duncan Jr. purchased it for display at the shop. 

“Having an example of this ultra rarity is a dream of a lifetime,” Duncan says. “Few examples are ever offered, and outside of the Smithsonian and American Numismatic Association collections, getting to view one is a privilege few get. Now Houstonian collectors and enthusiasts can come out and see this one in our store.”

The coin will be on public display in U.S. Coins and Jewelry’s second-floor showroom at 8501 Katy Freeway in Houston beginning October 3.