Is the $980,000 Lincoln Wheat Penny Still Waiting to Be Found?

The 1943 Lincoln Wheat penny is famous for being almost always made of zinc-coated steel due to copper shortages during World War II. But a few were mistakenly struck on bronze planchets (the old copper alloy), making them extraordinarily rare.

These “off-metal” errors are among the most coveted U.S. coin rarities, with one example from the Denver Mint having sold for $1.7 million. Could one of these jackpot coins still be out in the wild? Let’s look at what’s real, what to inspect, and what’s believable.

What Makes the 1943 Bronze Penny So Rare

Feature	Details
Usual material 1943 pennies	Steel, zinc-coated — used to conserve copper during WWII.
Bronze (copper) error version	A few pennies were struck using leftover bronze planchets by mistake. These are non-magnetic, heavier, and have the traditional copper color.
Known mints	Denver (D), San Francisco (S), Philadelphia (no mark) have each produced such bronze error pennies.
Number known	Very few—roughly ten or fewer authentic bronze examples are known. The Denver one is particularly unique

Record Sales and Verified Values

Specimen	Mint / Mark	Grade / Condition	Sale Value / Estimated Worth
1943-D Bronze MS64	Denver	MS-64 Brown (bronze)	$1,700,000 (sold in 2010) — highest verified sale.
Typical bronze 1943-D in lower grade / average condition	Denver	Circulated to Uncirculated (lower)	Estimated around $900,000 to $1,000,000+ depending on condition.
Other color & mint variations (Philadelphia, San Francisco) bronze 1943s	P, S mints	Varied grades	These have lower documented sale values but still in very high-hundreds of thousands when verified.

How to Spot the Genuine Bronze 1943 Wheat Penny

Here are the key features and tests you can use:

1. Magnet test: A bronze coin will not stick to a magnet. Steel coins will. This is a simple and quick way to test suspect coins.
2. Weight: Genuine bronze 1943 pennies should weigh about 3.11 grams, whereas the steel ones weigh around 2.7 grams.
3. Color and appearance: Bronze examples have a reddish or brownish copper tone. Steel ones are silvery gray. Check for natural toning too.
4. Mint mark: Look for “D” (Denver) or “S” (San Francisco), or no mark (Philadelphia). Some mints happen to have fewer specimens, making certain mint-mark bronze errors even more valuable.
5. Certification / grading: Because fakes are common (e.g. steel cents plated to look like bronze, or modified steel coins), proper grading by bodies like PCGS or NGC ensures authenticity.

Could One Still Be Out There?

• Based on reported stories and collector accounts, yes — it’s possible. Some sources suggest that a few bronze 1943 pennies are still “in circulation,” tucked away in old collections, change jars, or estates.
• However, chances are extremely slim. Due to the legendary status and intense scrutiny of these coins, even lower-grade specimens are usually examined and preserved. Many likely have already been found and certified.
• Also, due to counterfeiting risks, any newly discovered bronze 1943 penny will face rigorous vetting. Even if you find one, verification will be crucial.

The 1943 bronze Lincoln Wheat penny remains one of the most exciting “jackpot” coins in U.S. numismatics.

True examples are incredibly rare, potentially worth close to, or exceeding, one million dollars (or more) for top specimens. While rumors of a single one hiding in spare change are not impossible, the odds are very low.

Still, with careful inspection, correct tests, and authentication, even a modest specimen from this error family can be tremendously valuable. So next time you sift through old coins, don’t dismiss that odd 1943 penny — it might just be the one that changes everything.

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