| From 1909 to 1942, the Lincoln Cent was | | | | took some time to produce sufficient supplies of |
| composed of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. | | | | planchets and production commenced on February |
| That all changed in 1943, as for the first and only | | | | 23, 1943 at the Philadelphia Mint with the Denver |
| time, a coin was made out of steel, which was | | | | and San Francisco Mints beginning production the |
| quite a contradiction from gold, silver, copper or | | | | next month. |
| bronze. | | | | On February 27th, the first delivery of cents was |
| Even before the United States entered the war, | | | | made to the Treasury and within a few weeks, |
| there were inklings that the cent, as well as the | | | | the steel cents were in circulation. Although the |
| nickel were in trouble. The nickel was made out of | | | | Treasury Department assured the public that the |
| 75% copper. Copper was in huge demand due to | | | | coin, after being in circulation for a while, would |
| its use by defense contractors in the | | | | gain a distinct appearance, many people noticed |
| manufacturing process of various supplies and | | | | the color resemblance of a dime. Complaints |
| equipment needed in case of the US going to war. | | | | continued to pour into the Treasury. For example, |
| After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the rumors only | | | | due to there magnetic property, many mechanical |
| grew and in January 1942, The Numismatic | | | | devices treated the new cent as a slug. Back |
| Scrapbook Magazine reported that Treasury | | | | then, there were quite a few uses for the cent |
| officials were giving serious consideration to using | | | | and this was a big deal. |
| different metal contents for some coins. The first | | | | The new cent was so much hated by the public |
| step occurred on January 23rd, 1942, when the | | | | that the Treasury was moved to issue them only |
| Treasury ordered the removal of all but a trace | | | | when bronze-copper cents were not available. Still, |
| of tin from the cent from the already small | | | | demand for cents for business was so great, that |
| amount that had been in use. The existing supply | | | | the public was forced to use them as that was |
| of strips and planchets were used and it is | | | | what was available. In the fall of 1943, the |
| speculated that cents produced in 1942 were | | | | Treasury announced that no steel cents would be |
| produced of both metal compositions. This small | | | | produced after December 31, 1943 and that the |
| change was expected to save 100,000 pounds of | | | | mint would produce cents from the pre-war alloy, |
| tin. | | | | but without tin. These cents, from 1944 through |
| Throughout 1942, there were repeated attempts | | | | 1946 were to be known as shell-case cents, as |
| and pleas to the public to turn in their cents and | | | | the metal generally came from spent shell-casings. |
| nickels. Even with these pleas, the shortages | | | | It was also announced that there would be no |
| continued and for the last six months of the year | | | | recall of the steel cent. |
| the mint scaled back production of cents and | | | | After the war, the Treasury did begin recalling |
| nickels. During this time, experiments were | | | | steel cents for the next 20 years. Although not |
| conducted with various metal compositions, fibers, | | | | publicized, coins were to be returned to the |
| plastics and even glass. | | | | treasury in the normal course of business. By |
| On December 18, 1942, Public Law 77-815 was | | | | 1950, steel cents were becoming scarce and by |
| enacted. This law called for the melting of more | | | | 1960, nearly non-existent. By this time, steel |
| silver dollars and for the authorization of metal | | | | cents had deteriorated quite a bit. The Mint had |
| substitutes for the one cent and five cent coins | | | | coated the steel strips before punching leaving the |
| not to go beyond December 31st, 1946. The | | | | edge of the coin subject to rust and corrosion. |
| nickel had already seen its change utilizing more | | | | Even though a recall was in effect, the Mints own |
| silver in its content. The Treasury wasted no time | | | | records indicate over 930 million remained in |
| and on December 23, 1942, Treasury Secretary | | | | circulation. |
| Henry Morgenthau, Jr. ordered that all cents | | | | By the end of 1943, the three Mint facilities had |
| produced after January 1st 1943 be comprised of | | | | produced 1,093,838,670 of the one-cent coins. |
| low-carbon steel coated with zinc. The zinc plating | | | | The copper released for the war effort was |
| was to provide a thin coating to prevent rust and | | | | enough to meet the combined needs of 2 |
| was to be no more than .001 inches thick. The | | | | cruisers, 2 destroyers, 1,243 flying fortresses, 120 |
| same diameter of coin was maintained, but the | | | | field guns and 120 howitzers, or enough for 1.25 |
| weight was reduced from the standard 48 grains | | | | million shells for our big field guns. |
| to 42 grains, due to the use of a lighter alloy. It | | | | |