Most pennies end up forgotten in jars, drawers, or pockets, rarely given a second glance. Because they’re so common, it’s easy to assume they hold little value. Yet among everyday coins, a small number of rare examples stand out dramatically — and one of the most fascinating is the 1943 copper wheat penny.
During World War II, copper was considered a critical material and was redirected toward military production. As a result, pennies minted in 1943 were supposed to be made from zinc-coated steel instead of copper. However, a small number of copper blanks from previous years were accidentally left in the presses and struck with the 1943 date. These mistakes created an extremely limited number of copper pennies that were never meant to exist.
