The $1,000,000 Penny

[Hum]

SANTA ANA, Calif.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- A $1 million United States penny recently acquired by a major league baseball team executive has been certified genuine by the world leader in rare coin authentication and grading, Professional Coin Grading Service, a division of Collectors Universe, Inc.

The finest of the four known 1943 San Francisco Mint Lincoln cents mistakenly made of bronze instead of zinc-coated steel has been purchased for $1 million by Texas Rangers baseball executive Bob R. Simpson and certified genuine by Professional Coin Grading Service.

Coin collector Bob R. Simpson, co-chairman of the Texas Rangers baseball club, paid $1 million for the finest of only four known 1943-dated Lincoln cents mistakenly struck in the wrong metal at the San Francisco Mint. Cents were supposed to be of zinc-coated steel that year, and those grey-colored 1943 cents are quite common; however, a few pennies were erroneously made of bronze, the metal composition from the previous year.

"The United States Mint switched from making cents in bronze to zinc-coated steel in 1943 because copper was a strategic metal needed during World War II. By error, some bronze planchets made it into the hoppers at the Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver Mints, were struck and released into circulation. These have become the most famous and valuable of all off-metal coin errors," explained Willis.

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[Growled Member]

I wish I had one of those. I'd sell it in a heartbeat for $1 million.

[Nothing Here]

If I had it, I'd sell it for 850k, just to make a quick sell.

[Crisp]

Wonder if a vending machine would accept it.

[Edrick Smith]

Sometimes I just dont understand collectables

[Buttus]

were other coins made of bronze? how do they accidentally make a coin out of bronze?

[RiverCampher]

Sometimes I just dont understand collectables

This will increase in value over time, investments are now commonly made in art and other rare items due to the increased value (as richer become richer and the amount of richer folk increase but the total items available remain the same). It's as a safe investment as you can make these days.

[Southern Patriot]

were other coins made of bronze? how do they accidentally make a coin out of bronze?

Helps to read the article:

Cents were supposed to be of zinc-coated steel that year, and those grey-colored 1943 cents are quite common; however, a few pennies were erroneously made of bronze, the metal composition from the previous year. The United States Mint switched from making cents in bronze to zinc-coated steel in 1943 because copper was a strategic metal needed during World War II. By error, some bronze planchets made it into the hoppers at the Philadelphia, San Francisco and Denver Mints, were struck and released into circulation.

[Japlabot]

I'm sure that the other 3 known owners are quite happy to hear this news.

[CG-88]

Wow that is crazy!

[Jason S. Global Moderator]

i wonder if i have any 1943 or 1944 pennies...