1943 Lincoln Wheat Cent

About This Coin

The 1943 Lincoln Wheat Cent is a United States cent from the Lincoln Wheat Cents 1909-1958 series. The obverse features Abraham Lincoln facing right, the first real person depicted on a U.S. circulating coin, while the reverse displays two wheat stalks framing ONE CENT, symbolizing American agriculture. Designed by Victor David Brenner. Struck on zinc-coated steel planchets to conserve copper for World War II ammunition. A few 1943 cents were struck by mistake on leftover bronze planchets from 1942 and are among the most famous U.S. error coins. They are known from all three mints, but unevenly: roughly 15 to 17 from Philadelphia, about six from San Francisco, and a single example from Denver. Struck in zinc-coated steel, 19.05 mm in diameter, with a plain edge. Produced at the Denver, Philadelphia, and San Francisco Mints. The Lincoln Wheat Cent, introduced in 1909 to honor the centennial of Abraham Lincoln's birth, broke the longstanding tradition against portraying real individuals on U.S. coinage. Victor David Brenner's portrait was based on a plaque he had made of Lincoln. The designer's initials "VDB" on the first 1909 cents sparked controversy and were quickly removed, then restored in 1918 in a smaller size on Lincoln's shoulder. Among the most widely collected U.S. series. Key dates include the 1909-S VDB (mintage 484,000), 1914-D, 1922 "No D" (weak Denver mintmark), and the famous 1943 copper and 1944 steel transitional errors.