1943-S Steel Lincoln Wheat Penny NGC MS 67

Add a true piece of World War II history to your collection with the 1943-S Steel Lincoln Wheat Penny, certified NGC MS 67. Struck at the San Francisco Mint, this high-grade example ranks among the finest known survivors of a unique, one-year-only U.S. coinage issue. With its sharp details, lustrous finish, and near-flawless surfaces, this coin is a shining relic of both American resilience and numismatic innovation.

The 1943 Steel Cent stands out in the Lincoln Wheat Penny series as a product of wartime necessity. With copper urgently needed for ammunition and military supplies, the U.S. Mint made the historic decision to strike one-cent coins from zinc-coated steel—the first and only time a non-copper alloy was used for this denomination. While over a billion were minted that year, most circulated heavily or corroded over time, making high-grade examples with the “S” mintmark particularly scarce and desirable.

This MS 67 specimen showcases remarkable preservation and is a testament to both American wartime ingenuity and the lasting appeal of classic coin design.

Coin Specifications:

• Graded by NGC as MS 67
• Weight of 2.7 grams
• Zinc-coated steel 
• Mint Mark: S - San Francisco
• Mintage: 191,550,000
• Produced by the US Mint
• Obverse: Features a portrait of Abraham Lincoln along with the inscriptions "IN GOD WE TRUST," "LIBERTY," the “S” mint mark, and the date "1943."
• Reverse: Displays two wheat ears flanking the inscriptions "ONE CENT," "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA," and "E PLURIBUS UNUM."