4 RARE 1943 P STEEL PENNIES CIRCULATED WHEATS WWII SET

You are bidding on one pack of four steel pennies.  Each pack contains 4 steel cents from the Philadelphia U.S. Mint.

Each cent consists of various circulated conditions with over 60 years of historical value.

1 Quantity = 1 Pack of 4 Steel Pennies made at the Philadelphia U.S. Mint (4 Ps)

Due to wartime needs of copper for use in ammunition and other military equipment during World War II, the US Mint researched various ways to limit dependence and meet conservation goals on copper usage. After trying out several substitutes (ranging from other metals to plastics) to replace the then-standard bronze alloy, it was minted in zinc-plated steel. However, problems began to arise from the mintage. Freshly minted, they were often mistaken for dimes. Magnets in penny vending machines, placed to pick up steel slugs, also picked up the legitimate steel cents. Because the galvanization process didn't cover the edges of the coins, oils from the body would quickly rust the metal, turning the coins into a rusty mess. After public outcry, the Mint developed a process where salvaged brass shellcasings were augmented with pure copper to produce an alloy near the pre-war specifications. In 1945 the mint began withdrawing steel cents from circulation and sending them to the San Francisco Mint where the coins were dumped into the Pacific Ocean. The steel cent is the only regular-issue United States coin that can be picked up with a magnet.

Stock Photos. Philadelphia doesn't place a P on their cents, due to possible confusion with the D minted cents from Denver.

Frames not included with packs