If the penny sticks to the magnet, it is made out of steel — not copper. Check the 3. Simpson previously bought the 1943-D bronze cent that the same dealer sold to him for a record $1.7 million in 2010. The most recent sale of a 1943 copper penny was of the finest-known example of a 1943-S copper cent graded PCGS MS63 Brown CAC at a Heritage Auctions sale on … In 1943, the composition for the Lincoln cent changed to Zinc plated Steel. Sharing the story of the 1.7 million dollar 1943 copper penny ended up receiving over 8 million views! Make sure your 1943 copper pennies are certified! Take a 1948 copper penny and shaving off half the 8 making it appear to be a 3. The elusive 1943 Copper cent. Some believe this may have happened as a result of the previous year's planchets remaining in the hopper when production of the 1943 cents began. Lutes set his 1943 copper penny aside to study it later when he found it in a bundle of change in the Pittsfield High School cafeteria in 1947. It has already passed the magnet test. Unfortunately, there is no easy way to tell the difference between a genuine 1943 copper penny and a Chinese counterfeit. Warning: Many 1943 Copper Pennies are fakes. However, there are some fake versions of the 1943 copper penny out there. What to do with a real 1943 copper penny These are made to resemble a genuine 1943 Lincoln cent, but the Chinese counterfeiters use copper blanks. https://www.gainesvillecoins.com/blog/1943-copper-penny-value The 3 should have a long tail (like the 9). Additionally, watch out for fake 1942 copper pennies that are actually just copper … If it doesn't stick to a magnet then it's not a copper plated 1943 steel cent fake - but it might be an altered date. A 1948 copper penny can be filed down on the left side of the 8, making it look like a 3 instead. A good technique to spot a fake 1943 copper penny is to test it with a magnet. Even if the 3 does have a long tail, it could still be a fake… There are some high-quality counterfeit coins that are being manufactured in China. If the magnet and penny attract and stick, that penny is definitely a fake. Here is some pictures of a possible 1943 Copper Cent that we found from my Aunt coin collection that was inherited by my daughter. If it looks like half an 8, it is a fake. Could anybody let me know if it is a fake or real. "As he held it he reminisced about the 1943 'copper' Lincoln cent he found in change when he was a youngster, but that turned out to be a fake," she added. We came across this maybe copper 1943 cent. The counterfeit coins were originally introduced as a novelty item, but some have remained in circulation. The way to detect if your 1943 penny is made out of copper is by using a magnet. The 1948 penny is another used coin to make a 1943 penny. There were estimated to be only 40 of 1943 cents struck on a Copper planchets by mistake.