To understand why this tiny coin can sell for $60,000 to $85,000, you have to go back to a moment in history when the entire nation was under pressure. In 1943, during the height of World War II, the U.S. Mint was ordered to conserve copper for the war effort. Copper was essential for ammunition, wiring, and communication equipment—vital military supplies. Making pennies from copper was no longer acceptable.
So the Mint made a rare change: instead of copper, they produced pennies made from zinc-coated steel. These “steelies” look completely different—gray, shiny, and lighter than normal. It was the only year in history that pennies were made from steel.
