You will find a lot of information below such as mintages, specifications, and images. Be sure to visit our lincoln wheat cent forum if you need help. Lincoln wheat penny key dates, rarities and varieties learn to identify the most valuable lincoln wheat cents. Oct 31, 2019 the 1944 wheat penny is somewhat common and can be sold for about 10 to 20 cents. Shortages of essential war materials such as rubber, gasoline, and sugar were initially anticipated, but soon rationing grew to include food as well as fuel and. V1p4r1 great coin with nice patina, good for someones collection.
If you find a 1943 or 1944 wheat penny, using a magnet to check its metal content is easy. Did you scroll all this way to get facts about 1944 wheat penny. Steel pennies were minted to help save copper for a more important matter manufacturing. Critical goods were ration to american citizens using coupon books issued by the government. Uncirculated coins with a grade of ms65rb can sell for. Information contained at the links below discloses the approximate wheat penny value as well as mint counts. Theodore roosevelt who was on a mission to redesign our nations coinage. The 1944 wheat pennies have value as numismatic coins. The scheme involved the customer handing over her ration book and ask. The ubiquitous ration book would ultimately become the most vivid and lasting.
May 23, 2016 wheat penny production skyrocketed in the 1940s in fact, the philadelphia mint alone struck more than 1 billion pennies for the first time in 1944, but for lincoln wheat cents, the decade would be headlined by the oneyear issue of steel cents in 1943. The opposite case to the 1943 bronze coinage is the zincplated steel coinage, the 1944 wheat penny. Brenner designed the coin under the direction of pres. Rare gem bu unc 1940 copper lincoln wheat cent wwii era world war 2 one penny. War ration book two, which contained red ration stamps. The 1943 silver colored penny is a wartime coin issue made of steel and coated with zinc. There were just a few of the 1944 steel pennies ever minted and all would have been released by error into the coin supply. And pennies with missing letters or double stamping can have additional value depending on the market.
Making the 1943 steel cent1943 steel cent valuewhat about 1944 steel cents. Keep reading to learn more about these one cent coins. Mar 15, 2021 mar 15, 2021 penny 1944 unique wheat penny. On the wheat design, one of the seed hairs is extended to cross or. The philadelphia, denver, and san francisco mints each produced these 1943 lincoln cents. June 1942 on the basis of ration books, although retailers were allowed from.
Lg801 1946 original photo russian wheat for france post wwii food relief rations. Stamp 18 was valid beginning june 16, 1943 ending october 31, 1944, but word of its issuance leaked out the. Wheat pennies from the mid1940s differ from most other wheat cents. Cookbooks and recipe pamphlets do not simply provide instructions. On august 15, 1945, world war ii gas rationing was ended on the west coast of the united states. The us minted the 1944 wheat penny with no mint mark and also the 1944 d wheat penny and 1944 s wheat penny. The 1943 steel cent features the same victor david brenner design for the lincoln cent which had been in use since 1909.
The coins grade determines its value to coin collectors. The unique composition of the coin lowgrade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%copperbased bronze composition has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny, and steelie. Us ration point guide poster with tables for april 1944 collections. During world war ii, the war effort required a lot of copper to make shell casings and munitions. With the highest number coined in all the wheat design series, 1944 cents are abundant on a rarity scale. Unlike lincoln cents made from 1909 to 1942, which are 95 percent copper and 5 percent tin and zinc, lincoln cents from 1944, 1945, and 1946 were made with a. Steel will stick to the magnet, but copper will not. I have two war ration books, and i wonder if they are worth keeping or should i cash them in. Using a step by step method finds how much your coins are worth.
The unique composition of the coin lowgrade steel coated with zinc, instead of the previously 95%copperbased bronze composition has led to various nicknames, such as wartime cent, steel war penny. The value of those particular coins are almost priceless. As you may already know, in 1943, world war ii was going on and so the copper previously used to mint our wheat pennies was needed to manufacture supplies for the war. To accurately gauge the grade of your lincoln wheat penny, you must perform a close examination of the coin. I was born in 1944 so remember rationing books, when it finished i played post office with the unused books. None of the returns, except 1, say they werent made from shell casings 1944 1944 1946lincolnshellcasealloycoin 1944 penny value. With the pending capitulation of japan, the printing of ration books for 1946 was halted by the opa on august, 1945. The united states mint first minted the lincoln wheat penny, or wheatie as they are sometimes called, in 1909. Vintage tokens, ww ii opa red point ration tokens, district of columbia fare token, key code tag, 1944. However, uncirculated wheat pennies go for five or six dollars apiece.
Everything you need to know about the 1943 copper penny. Why are 1943 copper and 1944 steel lincoln cent errors so. In 1943 the penny was made out of zinc plated steel to save copper for the war effort which is why. This article may feature affiliate links, and purchases made may earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. Learn more about rationing for the war effort during world war ii with research starters at the national wwii museum.
Did you scroll all this way to get facts about 1943 war ration book. Lincoln wheat cents on ebay lincoln wheat cent books the authoritative reference on lincoln cents, second edition 2020 red book guide book of united states coins. What is the value of war ration book four with stamps inside. Ration stamps, in book form, were issued to every man, woman, and child to be. Liquorice was our only sweet and we could buy a yard for a penny. Before the second world war started britain imported about 55 million tons of food a.
A coin with moderate wear but whose design is legible is likely to be graded as fine worth 9 cents. The 1944 lincoln penny is particularly desirable in the eyes of collectors not only because of its design, but also due to its scarcity. The melt value shown below is how valuable the coins metal. Use this guide as a reference on quickly grading and quickly pricing of your collectible wheat pennies from 1909 to 1958. The different varieties of ration stamps and books the united states was at war in early 1942 and rationing. This ration book is housed in the special collection. Both the 1945 wheat penny with no mint mark and the 1945 d wheat penny have similar values. The most common 1943 war ration book material is ceramic. Nov 24, 2019 i seem to remember the red book also says theyre from spent shell casings. Complete lincoln wheat penny cent collection album 1941 1958 p d s set. What is the value of war ration book four with stamps. Jul 30, 2018 in that 3rd there are roughly 27 1944 wheat penny s, 2 1944d wheat penny s, 1 1943d steel, and 1 1943 steel.
During world war ii, with imports disrupted and a population under attack, food became a front. The war ration stamps are very common and the demand for them in the collectors circle is not very high. In 1943 the united states was gearing up to fight world war ii. It was thought that even if japan does not fold now, the war will certainly be over before the books can be used. Penny 1944 in 2021 rare coins worth money, old coins worth. If the parallel lines at the top of the wheat stalk are showing, the coin is likely in fine or even better condition. Penny 1944 in 2021 rare coins worth money, old coins. According to the experts at cointrackers, a rare 1943 coin made from copper wheat is selling for. While lincoln wheat pennies were traditionally struck in a 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, those made from 1944 through 1946 were struck on planchets consist ing of 95% copper and 5% zinc. Wartime rationing changed how america ate for a century. The government tried to stabilize the nations food supply 80 years ago.
Copper is a critical war metal used in the production of ammunitions. Collection consists of ration coupons, stickers, permits, and certificates for tires, bicycles, typewriters, sugar, shoes, fuel oil, gasoline, and food which were issued by the office of price administration between 19421946. One simple way to do this is to examine the wheat stalks on the coins reverse. It is the first time any coin topped the 1 billion mark. Vintage opa tokens rationing tokens red point ration tokens world war two. Subtle differences in condition are graded to narrow range on value charts. The most common 1944 wheat penny material is copper. Food shortages and rationing ww2 spartacus educational. Also please visit our lincoln wheat cent grading forum to help you establish a grade for your lincoln wheat cent.
If you happen to find a wheat penny in your possession, it would be worth checking the date against the list before spending it. In 1943 the penny was made out of zinc plated steel to save copper for the war effort which is why most 1943 pennies are silver. At its 1944 peak, it was estimated that upwards of 209,200 victory gardens. They were intended to prevent the hoarding of such goods as coffee, sugar, meat and other items in short supply due to the war. The united states mint in philadelphia a book that explores the colorful history of the philadelphia mint. Stamp 18 was valid beginning june 16, 1943 ending october 31, 1944, but word of its issuance leaked out the day before. Every american was entitled to a series of war ration books filled with stamps that could be used to buy restricted items along with payment, and within weeks of the first issuance, more than 91. This page is dedicated exclusively to the 1944 d lincoln wheat cent. During world war ii, the united states rationed food and other commodities on the home front to ensure. But it turned out a few 1943 wheat pennies had accidentally been made with leftover copper planchets prepared coin blanks from 1942 and they escaped from the united. Sep 11, 2020 in this article, bullion shark discusses the 1943 steel penny, along with a few rare lincoln cent wheat penny varieties from world war ii. Us war bonds poster of a rockwell painting depicting a man. In december 1943, it was agreed that these coins would be reminted in bronze, but some coin blanks were leaked with the new wedges, and very few units were produced in the previous years. The urban workingclass household diet 19401949 gov.
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