---
title: "1943 Steel Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth"
description: "1943 pennies are zinc-coated steel. What they are worth by grade, why they stick to a magnet, and how to tell one from the rare copper 1943."
canonical: https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-steel-penny-value/
author: Mike Moore
published: 2026-10-08
modified: 2026-10-08
values_checked: Oct 8, 2026
---

# 1943 Steel Penny Value: What Yours Is Worth

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

A circulated 1943 steel penny is worth about 18 to 61 cents. Uncirculated ones run about $3, and gem MS65 coins about $10 to $25 depending on the mint. Nearly every 1943 penny is steel and sticks to a magnet. The copper 1943 is the rare one.

- **Composition:** Steel with a zinc coating. Weighs 2.70 grams. Sticks to a magnet.
- **Mintage:** 684,628,670 at Philadelphia (no mint mark), plus hundreds of millions more at Denver (D) and San Francisco (S).
- **Why steel:** Copper was needed for World War II, so the Mint used steel for one year.

## Value by grade

**1943 steel cent retail values**

| Grade | 1943 | 1943-D | 1943-S |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Good (G4) | $0.18 | - | - |
| About Uncirculated (AU50) | $0.61 | - | - |
| Uncirculated (MS60) | $3.08 | - | - |
| Gem Uncirculated (MS65) | $10 | $12 | $25 |

Retail values from USA Coin Book. Blank cells mean we only pulled the MS65 value for that mint. Values checked Oct 8, 2026.

## What to look for

- Try a fridge magnet. Steel sticks. If your 1943 does not stick, read the copper 1943 page before you do anything else.
- The mint mark is under the date. No letter means Philadelphia.
- Bright, unrusted coins are worth the most. Many were later recoated with zinc by private companies, and collectors value those less.

## Fakes and lookalikes

- Steel cents are cheap, so fakes are rare. The usual trick goes the other way: copper-plating a steel 1943 to pass it off as the rare copper version. A magnet catches that.

## Find my keepers

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

## FAQ

### Is a 1943 steel penny rare?

No. Philadelphia alone made over 684 million. Worn ones are worth well under a dollar.

### Why does my 1943 penny stick to a magnet?

Because it is steel, like almost every 1943 penny. That is normal.

### What is the most valuable 1943 steel penny?

Among normal coins, the best values are for gem uncirculated pieces, like a 1943-S at about $25 in MS65. Higher grades certified by PCGS or NGC can bring more.

## Related coins

- [1943 Copper Penny Value: Is Yours the Real One?](https://dimehound.app/coins/1943-copper-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/)
- [War Nickel Value: Which 1942 to 1945 Nickels Are Silver](https://dimehound.app/coins/war-nickel-value/)
- [1955 Doubled Die Penny Value: What a Real One Is Worth](https://dimehound.app/coins/1955-doubled-die-penny-value/)

## Sources

1. [USA Coin Book, Lincoln wheat cent values](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins/small-cents/lincoln-wheat-cent/)
2. [USA Coin Book, 1943 steel cent](https://www.usacoinbook.com/coins.php?id=440&sort=highestprice)

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.