---
title: "1943 Copper Penny Value: Is Yours the Real One?"
description: "A genuine 1943 bronze (copper) penny is one of the most valuable US error coins. Auction prices, the magnet test, and how to spot fakes and altered dates."
canonical: https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-copper-penny-value/
author: Mike Moore
published: 2026-10-08
modified: 2026-10-08
values_checked: Oct 8, 2026
---

# 1943 Copper Penny Value: Is Yours the Real One?

By Mike Moore. Published Oct 8, 2026. Updated Oct 8, 2026. Canonical page: https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-copper-penny-value/

A genuine 1943 copper (bronze) penny is worth six figures: about $155,000 in Extremely Fine and $438,000 in uncirculated, and the only known 1943-D sold for $840,000. Only about two dozen exist. If your 1943 penny sticks to a magnet, it is steel and worth under a dollar.

- **Known examples:** About 15 to 17 from Philadelphia, 7 from San Francisco (S) and a single coin from Denver (D).
- **How it happened:** Leftover bronze blanks from 1942 were struck with 1943 dies.
- **Weight:** 3.11 grams for bronze, versus 2.70 grams for the normal steel cent.

## Value by grade

**1943 bronze cent values**

| Coin and grade | Value | Basis |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 1943 bronze, EF40 | $154,859 | USA Coin Book retail |
| 1943 bronze, AU50 | $240,740 | USA Coin Book retail |
| 1943 bronze, MS60 | $438,300 | USA Coin Book retail |
| 1943 bronze, MS62 BN | $372,000 | Heritage, Feb 2021 |
| 1943-S bronze, AU55 | $456,000 | Stack's Bowers, Mar 10, 2026 |
| 1943-D bronze, MS64 BN | $840,000 | Heritage, Jan 2021 |

Values checked Oct 8, 2026.

## What to look for

- Magnet first. A real bronze 1943 does not stick. If it sticks, it is steel.
- Weigh it. Bronze is about 3.11 grams. A plated steel coin weighs about 2.70 grams.
- Look closely at the 3 in the date. Many fakes are 1948 pennies with the 8 cut into a 3.
- If it passes the magnet and weight tests, stop handling it and contact PCGS or NGC.

## Fakes and lookalikes

- Copper-plated steel cents: they look right but stick to a magnet.
- Altered dates: 1948 pennies and others with a digit tooled into a 3. They do not stick to a magnet, so check the date under magnification.
- Cast copies and novelty pieces are common. Nobody pays six figures without PCGS or NGC certification.

## Find my keepers

Dime Hound is a coin scanner for iPhone and Android. Join the waitlist at https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-copper-penny-value/#keepers and we'll email you once, the day it launches.

## FAQ

### How much is a 1943 copper penny worth?

A genuine one is worth well over $100,000. Retail values run from about $155,000 in EF40 to $438,000 in MS60, and the unique 1943-D sold for $840,000.

### How do I know if my 1943 penny is copper?

Use a magnet. If it sticks, it is steel. If it does not stick and weighs about 3.11 grams, get it authenticated.

### How many 1943 copper pennies exist?

About two dozen across all three mints, and just one from Denver.

### My 1943 penny is copper colored but sticks to a magnet. What is it?

A copper-plated steel cent, plated after it left the Mint. It is worth about the same as a normal steel cent.

## Related coins

- [1943 Steel Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-steel-penny-value/)
- [1944 Steel Penny Value: The Rare Flip Side of 1943](https://dimehound.app/coins/1944-steel-penny-value/)
- [Wheat Penny Value: Which 1909 to 1958 Pennies Are Worth Money](https://dimehound.app/coins/wheat-penny-value/)
- [1955 Doubled Die Penny Value: What a Real One Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1955-doubled-die-penny-value/)
- [1982 Penny Value: Copper, Zinc, Large Date and Small Date](https://dimehound.app/coins/1982-penny-value/)

## Sources

1. [USA Coin Book, Lincoln wheat cent values](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/small-cents/lincoln-wheat-cent/)
2. [PCGS auction prices, 1943-D bronze](https://www.pcgs.com/auctionprices/details/1943-d-bronze-ms/82714)
3. [PCGS auction prices, 1943 bronze](https://www.pcgs.com/auctionprices/details/1943-bronze-ms/82710)
4. [PCGS CoinFacts, 1943 1C Bronze](https://www.pcgs.com/coinfacts/coin/1943-1c-bronze-bn/82709)
5. [CoinWeek, 1943-S bronze cent sells for $456,000](https://coinweek.com/legendary-1943-s-bronze-lincoln-cent-returns-to-the-market/)

Values are retail estimates or recorded sale prices from the sources above, checked Oct 8, 2026. What a dealer pays you is usually less than retail.