Future For High-Grade Steel Cents

[Sequitur]

Do you think the 1943 steel Lincolns will appreciate over the next 5-10 years? Of course millions were made, but how many high-grade specimens remain out of public view?

I usually try to purchase PCGS MS67 specimens if the cent has above-average luster. I find that most gem steel cents grade high because of a lack of marks; it's a bit more difficult to acquire nice looking specimens with above-average luster. (I buy them because I like their history, not because I expect price appreciation.)

[GarryN]

Hi Sequitur and welcome to the board. I have the three steel cents in PCGS MS-67 also. Interesting thing is, I bought one of them, the 43-S, from Bowers and Merena and the die was filled at the mint mark and the mark is barely visible, but it was graded 67 nevertheless. I would be surprised if they appreciated much in the near term. Maybe the 67's and 68's will. Recall that when some of the first steel cents graded 68 came on the market they were priced as high as $1,395 (43-S Rare Coin Review Mar-Apr 2001) . Then they stabilized to $995 (43-D Rare Coin Review Jan-Feb 2002) and $795 (43-D Rare Coin Review Mar-Apr 2002) David Lawrence today has a 43-D at $655 and a 43-S at $1,325. So maybe the 43-S has held value a bit better. I would expect that some of the high grade ones will begin to deteriorate like most of the others have. You are right that nice ones are few and far between.

[WaterSport]

Frankly, I am surprised they are worth $50 in MS 66. Like you said, tons were made & KEPT in UNC condition.

WS

[coop]

The 1943 Cents are ones that if they are BU, you need to check to see if they were reprocessed ones. In other words cleaned circulated ones and re-plated with Zinc. I've been sold them one time on Ebay as MS-67 ones, but back they went to the seller and they still claimed they were mint state even after I showed what they should look like. A lot of bottom feeders out there. BEWARE.......