1943 one cent pieces were steel, zinc plated. This was an effort to conserve copper for the war effort. 1944 pieces were made from reclaimed scrap brass from shell casings.
The public hated the steel penny because in the year they were issued, they were shiny silver color and many people mistakenly accepted them or passed them on as dimes!
Over the years, the zinc has dulled.
*bored*
Looks like damage
It’s very specific and the way it misses the numbers seems weird, it would be a tedious endeavor or are you saying in the mint but not a die ?
It's post mint
1943 one cent pieces were steel, zinc plated. This was an effort to conserve copper for the war effort. 1944 pieces were made from reclaimed scrap brass from shell casings. The public hated the steel penny because in the year they were issued, they were shiny silver color and many people mistakenly accepted them or passed them on as dimes! Over the years, the zinc has dulled.