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