1943 CENT Struck on a Bronze Planchet AU50 PCGS....

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1943 Bronze Lincoln Cent, AU50
Legendary Wrong-Planchet Rarity
Most Famous U.S. Mint Error

1943 CENT Struck on a Bronze Planchet AU50 PCGS. The 1943 bronze Lincoln cent is probably the most famous and sought-after error coin of all time. The copper used for coining bronze cents was needed for the manufacture of munitions during World War II and all Lincoln cents were supposed to be struck on zinc-coated steel planchets. As fate would have it, some of the old bronze planchets remained stuck in the tote bins used to feed the coin presses at the end of 1942. When coinage began in 1943, this handful of bronze planchets became dislodged and fed into the presses, along with millions of the regular-issue "steel" planchets, creating this mysterious Mint error.

The rare Mint errors became legendary when nationwide rumors surfaced in the late 1940s that Henry Ford would give a new car to anyone who could find him a 1943 "copper" cent. The rumors were false, but they made the 1943 bronze cent an overnight sensation. When a few bronze cents actually turned up in circulation in 1947, they inspired numerous ads and stories in magazines and comic books throughout the 1950s and '60s. The publicity engendered by these coins captured the imagination of the general public to a high degree. Although the issue was controversial, the coins brought high prices whenever offered and the public's fascination with these pieces has never diminished. Heritage Auctions is privileged to offer this previously unknown example of this classic American rarity in its first auction appearance.

The present coin is an impressive AU50 example that shows just a touch of wear on the well-detailed design elements. The O in ONE and the AME in AMERICA show a trace of the usual softness. The pleasing surfaces are remarkably lightly abraded, with just some scattered ticks and minor abrasions in the fields. Attractive reddish-brown patina adds to the considerable eye appeal. This coin will be the centerpiece of a fine collection of Lincoln cents or error coins.

1943 Philadelphia Bronze Cents Certified Populations
This is a listing of the certified grading events at PCGS and NGC. Duplications and crossovers are likely; some Genuine examples may be omitted.
PCGS-Certified Coins
1. MS63 Red. The sale of this coin for more than $1 million was reported by PCGS on 1/18/2018. It was purchased by the owner of The Dazzling Red Collection of Lincoln Wheat Cents. Oddly, this coin does not appear in the PCGS Population Report, but its cert number 32839117 still verifies.
2. MS62 Brown. Found in circulation by Marvin Beyer, Jr., age 14, around 1957; ANA Convention Sale (Abe Kosoff, 1958), where the coin was withdrawn by Marvin Beyer Sr. before the sale; reportedly sold to the Greer Company of Los Angeles for $40,000 in 1959; Pre-Long Beach Sale (Superior, 10/2000), lot 4146, as MS61 ANACS, $60,375; Benson Collection, Part II (Goldbergs, 2/2003), lot 148 as MS61 Brown PCGS, $97,750 (certification #50035361); subsequently graded MS62 Brown PCGS Secure; Bob Simpson (9/2012); Important Selections From the Bob R. Simpson Collection, Part IV (Heritage, 2/2021), lot 3008, realized $372,000. Beautiful blue-brown surfaces with generous luster, softly struck on Lincoln's beard and coat. Certification #40273606. Pictured on PCGS CoinFacts.
3. MS62 Brown. CAC. Albert Michael Pratt; ANA Signature (Heritage, 8/2017), lot 3899; Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2021), lot 5001, realized $372,000. Formerly in an NGC holder, certification #2067200-002. An attractive walnut-brown specimen with a tick over the 4 in the date.
4. MS61 Red and Brown. "James Schirrippa," per PCGS CoinFacts. Sharply struck with deep orange and purple-blue patina and some brownish toning on the lower reverse, hints of green in the obverse field. Carbon spot at L(IBERTY). V-shaped mark right of C(ENT). In the Staten Island Collection Lincoln Cents, Off-Metal Strikes Registry Set (#2 behind the Simpson Collection). Certification #50040291. Pictured on PCGS CoinFacts.
5 and 6. MS61 Brown. Two submissions; one is certification #19228068, last seen in the High Desert Collection. Pictured on PCGS CoinFacts. Lovely orange-gold and light-blue surfaces on both sides. PCGS still shows two in this grade, although as mentioned, one with certification #50035361 was later upgraded to the #1 Beyer-Simpson coin above. It is unclear if there are still two other PCGS coins in the MS61 Brown grade.
7. AU58. According to a photo (page 322, #8) in the 1996 Wexler-Flynn Lincoln cent Authoritative Reference, this coin was earlier certified by ANAAB with certificate #FD0251. Bob Simpson; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2016), lot 5266, realized $305,500; ANA Signature (Heritage, 8/2019), lot 3701. PCGS certification #25510132. Pictured on PCGS CoinFacts.
8. AU55. Americana Sale (Stack's Bowers, 1/2013), lot 13257, brought $317,250; Regency Auction (Legend-Morphy, 5/2014), lot 12, realized $329,000. Currently in the Numism1 Set Registry inventory at PCGS and contained in the Hoiner 100 Greatest U.S. Coins Registry Set. Well-struck overall with medium milk-chocolate surfaces, small flecks at bottom of coat (below 1) and front of Lincoln's head above the eyebrow. Weakness shows on O(NE) and AM(ERICA). Certification #26441689. Pictured on PCGS CoinFacts.
9. AU50. No prior auction record. Certification #45275965. The present coin.
10. XF45. Summer FUN Signature (Heritage, 7/2019), lot 3012. Sandy-tan example with a few scattered marks. Softly struck on 43 in the date. Photo on PCGS CoinFacts. Certification #37650115.
11. XF45 PQ. CAC. Pre-Long Beach Sale (Ira and Larry Goldberg, 2/2017), lot 756. Not identified by certification number.
12. Genuine PCGS (VF Details). A "teenaged newspaperboy"; bought at a Dearborn, Michigan, coin show around 1987; Goldberg Auctions (9/2007), lot 2462, brought $60,375; New York Signature (Heritage, 11/2013), lot 3508, realized $88,125. PCGS #21445181. Some unfortunate test cuts were made in the surfaces. Photographed as #4 in the Wexler-Flynn reference.
Note: An AU58 PCGS coin was offered in lot 2444 of the FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2010), but that piece is no longer listed in the population data.

NGC Certifications
These grading events will undoubtedly duplicate some coins listed above.
13. MS63 Brown.
14 and 15. MS62 Brown.
16. MS61 Red and Brown.
17. MS61 Brown. Albert Michael Pratt; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2018), lot 4763. Certification #2067200-001. Reddish-brown and steel patina, with a large obverse die break on the rim at 6 o'clock.
18, 19, 20. AU58; three grading events. One coin was once depicted on NGC Coin Explorer, unidentified as to grade or certification number -- but it is the former Simpson coin, number 6 above, now in a PCGS holder.
21. AU55. CAC. Donald G. Partrick; Central States Signature (Heritage, 4/2021), lot 3068. Certification #5746962-013.
22. AU55. Another AU55 submission.
23. AU53. Discovered in a school cafeteria in 1947 by Don Lutes, Jr.; FUN Signature (Heritage, 1/2019), lot 4362, realized $204,000. Certification #4629671-001. Pictured on NGC Coin Explorer. Lightly worn olive-brown example with a short horizontal gouge below the 3 in the date.
24. AU53. Another submission.
25. AU50. Certification #366928-001, this was a prior certification of the present coin that still appears in the NGC Census as of 6/15/22.
26. AU50. Another submission.

Coin Index Numbers: (NGC ID# 22E5, PCGS# 82709, Greysheet# 1978)

Weight: 3.11 grams

Metal: 95% Copper, 5% Tin & Zinc

View Certification Details from PCGS