What is the value of a good condition 1943 copper wheat penny?

Answer 1

A 1943 Lincoln cent - zinc-coated steel - is worth in G4 (good condition): 10 cents; if its mint state is MS60, the value rises to: $5. If you can find a copper 1943, they have sold between $40,000 and $80,000, but I think the lowest grade that has been auctioned was a Very Fine, so if it is only in Good condition, it might go a bit lower. But it's been a couple of years since the last sale, so it could bring more. It's one of those things that you can't really predict the value some buyer might place on it until it has been sold. There are bazillions of fake copper 1943 cents. If the coin sticks to a magnet, it's a 1943 steel cent that's been plated. If the tail of the "3" in the date is rounded in almost a half-circle rather than nearly straight, it's a 1948 cent that's been altered. Either way they're damaged coins. If neither of these conditions holds, it's still likely to be a fake made either by casting or electronic "sputtering".

If it's real it should weigh 3.11 gm and have a clear "ding" when (gently) dropped on a hard table. If so, it should be checked by a certified expert in rare coins.