1943 Lincoln Cent B1

After experimenting with various metals and plastics during 1942, the U. S. Mint determined that the best option for excluding copper from the cent was to use steel planchets having a coating of zinc for corrosion resistance. These coins proved to be a nuisance in commerce, being mistaken for dimes when new and sometimes nickels when worn. Since they were magnetic, the steel cents also failed to work in vending machines and turnstiles. About the only thing the Mint got right with these coins is their date style, the numeral 3 having the long tail that it so often lacked in earlier issues.

Vast numbers were saved in Mint State for their novelty, but their highly reactive composition has made preserving their beauty a real challenge. With exposure to moisture the underlying steel often rusted, even with the zinc plating. Gems are plentiful through MS 67, and encapsulation is perhaps the safest means of maintaining their original appearance.

A very popular doubled-die obverse variety shows the lettering and date swollen but not fully separted. These coins are scarce, especially in Mint State.