1943-S Copper Penny (Bronze Error) Value

1943-S Bronze Lincoln Cent (error)

ErrorTest first

Leftover bronze blanks were struck by mistake in 1943. Genuine examples are extremely rare.

Searched as the "1943 copper penny": a 1943 cent struck by mistake on a leftover bronze (copper-alloy) blank. Most copper-colored 1943 pennies are plated steel or altered dates, so test it with a magnet and a scale first.

1943-S Bronze Wheat Penny (error): front (type example, 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent) — Type example: 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent. Your coin's date and mint mark may differ. The V.D.B. initials on this example's back were removed during 1909, so later wheat pennies don't have them.
Photo credits
National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History (photo: Jaclyn Nash) (PD; source)

1943-S Bronze Wheat Penny (error): back (type example, 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent) — Type example: 1909 Philadelphia VDB cent. Your coin's date and mint mark may differ. The V.D.B. initials on this example's back were removed during 1909, so later wheat pennies don't have them.
Photo credits
National Numismatic Collection, National Museum of American History (photo: Jaclyn Nash) (PD; source)

Often fakedCopper-plated steel cents, altered 1945/1948 dates and cast fakes. Have it authenticated by PCGS or NGC before buying or selling. Check the signs below and weigh it.

Value by condition

Penny Value estimate · values as of Q4 2026

Rarely sold — check with a dealer. Coins like this are priced one at a time after authentication.

Check your own penny

Take a photo of each side. Penny Value reads the date and the mint mark, tells you if it could be a 1943-S Bronze (error) and what to check.

Check your own penny

Penny Value is an Android app for now, so it isn't on the App Store. The values and checks on this page are free to use.Penny Value is an Android app. Open this page on your Android phone to check your own penny with a photo.

How to identify it

A copper-coloured 1943 cent that does NOT stick to a magnet and weighs about 3.11 g
Nearly every 'copper 1943' is a copper-plated steel cent (a magnet sticks) or an altered 1945 or 1948 date
Always have it authenticated

What to check

What a genuine 1943-S Bronze (error) shows:

Steel-grey or copper-coloured: Copper colouredIs the coin's metal silver-grey like steel, or copper/brown?
Magnet test: Does not stick to a magnetUser-only physical test: does a magnet stick to the coin?
Weight test (steel 2.70 g vs copper 3.11 g): About 3.11 g (copper)User-only physical test: the coin's weight.

To check yours, photograph

Date close-up
Weight in grams
Magnet test

Specs

Series: Lincoln Wheat Cent
Year: 1943
Mint: San Francisco
Mint mark: Below the date, on the front
Metal: Bronze (95% copper, 5% tin and zinc)
Weight: 3.11 g
Mintage: A handful known: about 4.
Source: Wikipedia
Designer: Victor David Brenner

Other varieties of this date

1943-S Steel
San Francisco · 191.6 million made
7.5¢worn
$2.00MS-60

Other 1943 pennies

1943 Steel
Philadelphia · 684.6 million made
7.5¢worn
$2.00MS-60
1943-D Steel
Denver · 217.7 million made
7.5¢worn
$2.00MS-60

1943 penny values · Every Lincoln Wheat Cent · Penny value chart