I have a hand full of 1943 steel pennies and see there is a 1956 silver toned penny in with them. You can see copper on the rim and a slight rainbow on the head side. Anyone see any wheats like that before?

Score

Good luck

I always thought the steel pennies were just a WWll expedient when copper was used for bullets. There for a time even .45ACP bullets were made from steel.
I didn't know they were made after the war too.

The normal year for steel pennies is 1943. A few were made in 1944, very few. This is not steel and will not stick to a magnet.

Posted what Google had. Hope it’s a good one

Altered coin. It would grade out as damaged. Worth less than a normal 1956 wheat penny.

I would guess a kid used his chemistry set to do that. I did one of my coins with a chemistry set back in the early 60s look the same as I did. Not sure but I would bet.

I have read that being plated is one possibility. But some have a good price tag on them. I have no idea if they sell for that or not. You can ask what ever you want, but that does not mean you will get it.

Just for some extra info. I worked for Nelly Keller 3 winters in Saint Louis. She had a plaque on the wall from Truman thanking her for coming up with the idea to save copper by using steel for pennies. Her and her husband made oil lamps, so had a need for copper and so came up with the idea. They also had a contract supplying lamps for the Manhattan Project in Tennessee.

I have all the steel pennies from those years. They aren't worth much.

Yep mercury would coat the coins.
Used to do it all the time , and play with mercury.
Now they shut down schools if mercury is spilled in a class room.
There was a chemistry set that came with mercury back in the 1950's.

My local coin shop sells the Steel ones for 50 cents each

I read that they figure 35 steel pennies were made in 1944. They have a good value. 1943's are cheap.

My Dad had an amazing penny collection, only missing the "SVDB". Everythig stolen in a break-in years ago. I remember seeing old wheat cents that had the silver look. He seemed to know what he had, but I don't remember any discussion about being especially valuable. I learn something nearly every day.

Not every silver looking penny has a great value. You get a wheat that is printed on a dime blank and they have a value. A 1944 steel has a good value. There is one on e-bay that they want $180,000 for.

Always happy to see a coin thread on trapperman. Thank you, MJM.