In my high school chemistry class, we had an experiment where we mixed zinc with sodium hydroxide, heated the solution, then soaked pennies in it. After a few minutes, the zinc would adhere to the coins, making them silver in color. That said, a 1975 penny is currently worth 2 cents for the copper.
No, a US silver dollar does not stick to a magnet because silver is not a magnetic metal. United States silver dollars are made primarily of silver, which is a non-magnetic metal, so they will not be attracted to a magnet.
In 1943 the US Mint briefly replaced the copper penny then in use with a steel penny, due to the wartime copper shortage.
In mint condition it will be silver.
The element that gives a penny its silver color is zinc. Pennies are primarily made of copper plated with a thin layer of zinc to prevent corrosion.
Lincoln cents were struck on zinc coated steel planchets in 1943 only, the color often appears to be silver.
Half of that is easy, and the other half is almost as simple. First, the U.S. never made any silver pennies because they'd be worth more than dimes. Second, the only steel pennies were struck in 1943 when copper was needed for the war effort. A genuine steel cent will stick to a magnet. If you have any other date that's silvery in color, it's almost certainly a normal cent that someone plated.
A silver penny from 1943 that sticks to a magnet is likely rare and could be a potential error coin. During this time, U.S. pennies were typically made of zinc-coated steel due to the priority of copper for the war effort. If your coin is indeed made of silver and sticks to a magnet, it may have been altered or could be a counterfeit. We recommend consulting with a coin expert or a professional to assess its authenticity and value.
When a penny is cooked in sodium, a reaction occurs that removes the copper coating from the penny. This leaves behind a layer of silver-colored elemental sodium on the surface of the penny, giving it a silver appearance.
If it is silver in color and sticks to a magnet, it is real (and worth between a dime and a few dollars). If it is copper and doesn't stick to a magnet (and has not had the date changed by some nefarious means), it is worth several thousand dollars. you could tell if it is very rusty and you also can go to a secailest
The best way to find out if it is real, simply use a magnet. It will cling to the magnet if it is a real steel penny.
There's no such thing as a 1943 silver cent (or a silver cent for any other year). It's made of zinc-coated steel. If you don't believe me, try picking it up with a magnet. Silver isn't magnetic.
No, there is no silver in a 1817 US penny.