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1941 bronze wheat penny
spottsss2025
Posts: 7 ✭
does any one know what this is? a 1941 bronze, brass, or gun shell wheat penny?
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It is copper.
In the future, please lay your coin on a flat surface and crop your photos facing right side up.
We don't need a picture all of that background, just the coin.
I believe it is copper. Bronze was 1944-1946 if I remember correct.
God comes first in everything I do. I’m dedicated to serving Him with my whole life. Coin collecting is just a hobby—but even in that, I seek to honor Him. ✝️
thanks. i still have a hard time believing that since its so yellow.
i also have a 1944 one that is that yellow also
A 1944 cent would be shell case bronze.
Feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but Lincoln cents were bronze before 1943 and after 1946. The so-called "shell case" cents would have been a brass alloy, since that is what shell cases were made from.
To the OP, copper/bronze/brass can take on many colors depending on various factors. If you don't believe the answers you have gotten here, please tell us what it is that you think you have. If you are expecting a big payday then you will undoubtedly be disappointed.
JBK
Not disputing or correcting you, just letting you know why I posted what I did.
Pre 1944 Lincoln cents were made of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc.
Bronze is made of 80-90% copper and 10-20% tin. Lincoln cents seem to fall in between
so I don’t know if either term is technically correct but I think copper is more widely used.
Maybe the proper term should be copper alloy.
As far as the 1944 cent, both the Red Book and Numista name them Bronze. Your right that
shell casings were made of Brass but other alloys were added to the melted Brass before
the strips were rolled to make the coins. Whether this was enough to change the name
to Bronze, I don’t know, not really a chemist where I can definitely distinguish the difference.
I guess you could get arguments either way so again, I’m not arguing your posting, just giving
you the reason for mine. If I am wrong, I will gladly change my terminology.
I don't doubt what you say at all. "Copper" is certainly the common term but of course it is alloyed.
The "shell case" thing always bothered me a little because a lot of people think they simply melted down brass shell casings to make planchets, but as you mentioned, other metals were added.
Well 1943 did have a Copper Coin because the Mint accidentally struck leftover 1942 Copper Planchets with 1943 dated Dies! All Lincoln Wheat Pennies besides the Steel ones are made up of the following metals-95% Copper, 5% Tin & Zinc.
Well 1943 did have a Copper Coin because the Mint accidentally struck leftover 1942 Copper Planchets with 1943 dated Dies! All Lincoln Wheat Pennies besides the Steel ones are made up of the following metals-95% Copper, 5% Tin & Zinc.
Thank you for that information but that is pretty common knowledge.
I don't see anywhere on the above posts that refers to a steel 43 cent, that is why I included 1943 in my statement
"Pre 1944 Lincoln cents were made of 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc."
I did not expect my comment about the 1943 Bronze (copper) coin to be new knowledge most people on forum like this, but a newcomer may read through the comments sometime and learn that new bit of information? You are correct that there were no above posts referring to a steel 43 cent. The reason I mentioned it was to exclude that coin from the stated metallurgic properties 95% Copper, 5% Tin & Zinc of the rest of the Lincoln Cent (Wheat Reverse) coins. I should have also included the 1944_1944-D/S_1944-S Steel Coins in my exclusion as well. As far as the use of the word Bronze in some of the coin descriptions, it is odd in my opinion but I agree with your statements on that. Lastly, PCGS gives the makeup of all Wheat Pennies 1909-1958 aside from the obvious Steel exceptions as 95% Copper, 5% Tin & Zinc.
One of the members (RWB) on another form (CAC?) is going to do a study on these coins to determine their composition. Your coin is called a "Woodie" because of improper mixing of whatever it is composed of. Coins as this are found as far back as the Indian design. I have seen Lincoln cents in the '40's that are totally dull yellow brass color with no streaks. RWB is gathering examples. It will be interesting to find out as I have always heard about brass shells being used to make cents. It would make sense to do it.
PS IMO, your images are great, you don't need to change a thing!