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