Atleast $25,000
It's worth 2 cents for the copper.
A geniune 1943-D copper cent would have a value of about $50,000.00
A 1960 pure copper penny is worth about 3 cents in copper value. However, it is illegal to melt U.S. pennies for their metal content, so the value as a collectible coin would be closer to 1 cent.
MY best guess would have to be a 1943 copper penny. But a little more specific question would be helpful. Small cent or large cent??
Copper pennies from the year 1943 are exceedingly rare. Finding one would be extremely fortuitous. They are worth several thousand dollars.
The U.S. never minted a silver penny. It would have more than a dime's worth of silver in it. 1983 and later cents are all made of copper-coated steel so you may have a cent where the copper coating was removed with acid (worth only a penny) or was never plated in the first place (worth a significant amount). It would need to be inspected by a dealer who handles error coins.
Copper penny
Yes. Dissolution of a copper penny would indeed be a chemical reaction.
There are no 1984 pennies made from steel -- they were made from a zinc core with a thin outer copper layer. So you have a penny that either is missing its copper layer (worth a couple dollars) or one that has been plated by somebody with zinc, silver, or some other similar colored metal (no collector value). If your penny was made of steel, it would stick to a magnet -- try it!
Unless it is uncirculated it is worth face value.
What would the worth of a 1901 penny be?
It's worth 2 cents for the copper, but is still common in daily transactions at face value.