Steel Not So Bad?

The Lincoln cent managed to survive for 117 years, but it was struck in zinc-coated steel for only one year. That was during World War II, when copper was needed for shell cases, electrical wiring and other military uses.

Striking cents on zinc-coated steel planchets instead of bronze planchets seemed like a good idea at the time. But even though many tons of copper were saved for the war effort, the steel cent didn’t work out very well. It lasted only through 1943 and then went out of production for good. One of the chief problems is that they were difficult to strike without damaging the coining dies. Another problem is that even a humid day could begin the rusting process on these very reactive coins.

Considering the time and effort that went into the steel cent, it should have been a success. The Mint—and private companies under contract—began searching for an alternative alloy or material for the cent in 1942. Experiments were conducted with aluminum, zinc, plastics, glass and even cardboard. A number of such materials were considered, and even some of them were struck and remain on the market today.

On Dec. 18, 1942, Congress authorized cents struck in low-carbon steel, with a zinc coating to prevent rust, which admittedly worked, however very temporarily. Production of bronze Lincoln cents had been suspended on Dec. 10, 1942. The first delivery of steel cents was not made until Feb. 27, 1943. By then the lapse in production had resulted in cent shortages in many parts of the country, from Boise to Chicago to San Francisco.

In May, 1943, for reasons not made public, there was a slight shift in the weight of the steel cents. Until that time the coins were made on planchets weighing 2.7 grams. In May the weight of the coins changed to 2.75 grams without notice and without fanfare. We aren’t even certain what occurred to affect this change in the steel coins.

Cents were produced in record numbers during the remainder of 1943. The Philadelphia Mint turned out nearly 700 million. The Denver Mint struck more than 217 million, and the San Francisco Mint more than 190 million.

But there was trouble from the start. Steel cents were a brilliant silver color when new, causing many people to mistake them for dimes. The Mint received hundreds of letters complaining about the problem.

Several remedies were suggested. One was to change the cent’s size. Another was to punch a hole in it. Still another was to darken the cent, an idea that seemed to have the most promise.

Assistant Director of the Mint Leland Howard said steel cents would be artificially darkened if a suitable process could be found. But Treasury Secretary Henry Morgenthau Jr. disagreed, claiming it would be impractical to change the cent’s color or size, or bore a hole through it. He said people would just have to put up with the steel cent for the duration.

He was wrong. Steel cent production ended on Dec. 31, 1943, as a result of an increase in the nation’s copper supplies during the year. This was reflected in the disbanding of the federal Copper Recovery Corp. at the end of 1943.

Was the steel cent a failure, as one newspaper charged? The accusation angered Mint Director Nellie Tayloe Ross. She said the steel cent may have been inconvenient, but it meant around 4,700 additional tons of copper had been made available for armaments.

Beginning in 1944, cents were struck in an alloy of 95 percent copper and five percent zinc, with some of the metal coming from salvaged cartridge cases. The so-called shell case cents were minted through 1946.

The government began recalling steel cents from circulation in 1945. Nearly 700,000 were retired that year. In 1950, about 30 million steel cents were withdrawn. By the late 1950s, however, hoarding was widespread.

Today there are plenty of steel cents to go around, but not in the best condition thanks to discoloration and rust. Many steel cents have been reprocessed for a spotless, brilliant appearance. Problem-free originals are more difficult to find. In MS-65, the 1943 Philadelphia steel cent is valued at nearly $10, the 1943-D at $11, and the 1943-S at $20, according to the Coppercoins Price Guide.