1943 steel penny

A special version of the United States penny coin manufactured from zinc-plated steel, rather than copper, during World War II in 1943. The steel penny's introduction was part of an effort to save 10,000,000 pounds of copper for the production of ammunition and other military equipment vital to the war effort. The coin became a quick target for collectors due to its rarity.

Several 1944 pennies were inadvertently struck on the steel planchets, and fetch several hundred dollars apiece.