1944 Thick Planchet Cent

Coin Details

Auction Record

$223 MS63BN 07-19-2017 Stack's Bowers

Description

An experimental Lincoln cent struck on an unusually thick planchet in 1944, testing whether an oversized blank could address the dimensional and handling complaints that had dogged the 1943 steel cent. The standard Lincoln cent planchet was 1.52mm thick, and this experimental version used a notably thicker blank to explore whether increased mass might improve the coin's feel and vending machine compatibility even if an alternative alloy was used. The Mint was under extraordinary pressure during 1944 to find a workable cent composition — the 1943 steel cent had generated more public complaints than any coin in modern American history, yet copper remained critical to the war effort. This thick planchet experiment represents the Mint's willingness to consider not just alternative metals but alternative physical dimensions in its search for a satisfactory replacement. The approach was ultimately rejected in favor of recycled shell-case brass, which provided adequate copper content without diverting fresh copper from military production.

Rarity Notes

R-8 (Extremely Rare). Experimental thick planchet cents from the wartime period are seldom encountered, with only a handful of specimens documented.

Cross References

Not assigned a standard Judd or Pollock number. Sometimes referenced in specialized wartime composition literature.